The Spa
by twylytfan
Summary: Bella is a forty something wife and mother of two who discovers that her one and only love, Jacob, no longer wants to be married. She realizes that through the years, she has let herself go and makes a decision to get her life back, and maybe her man in the process. This leads her to The Spa, where she begins to replace the old with the new. Does this include replacing her Ex?
1. The Spa Chapter One

A/N : These wonderful characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. The story is something I've been thinking about for a while. Bella doesn't always have to be the tiny delicate person, as she is portrayed in so many stories.

I've re-posted this chapter after being introduced to Project Team Beta. They are wonderful! A big thanks to Kitchmill, AngelaLovsFanfic and Alicekinsno1for editing this chapter. It took three betas to edit this.

**The Spa**

Chapter One

_Who am I_? That is a question that I ask myself frequently these days. Well, it's a rhetorical question; I know who I am. The real question is, who have I become? What happened to the Bella Swan who had guys breaking their necks to get a look at her when she walked by? Where is she? Is that girl still inside me?

You know what they say, inside every fat person, there is a skinny one trying to get out. I feel her punching and jabbing, but it seems that she gets weaker by the day. I have never been one who looks at herself in the mirror and sees beauty. I never even considered myself attractive…that is until I look at myself now. It's true that hindsight is 20/20.

Who would have ever thought that I would be a forty-something divorcee with fifty extra pounds that just kind of snuck up on me? I wish I'd seen it coming, well, maybe all the midnight snacks had something to do with it. Don't get me wrong, my life is not all bad. I have some very supportive people in my life, and I have two wonderful children, whom I love very much. My daughter, Tiffany, is fifteen and is a sophomore in high school, and is always busy doing the typical high school stuff. She's on the volleyball team, dance team and she meets up with friends for study groups and class projects. She certainly keeps me busy driving her from place to place. She is also a very good student and, like her mother, loves to read. I think she's got just the right balance; she's smart, but not a nerd, and above all, she is a sweet and respectful young lady.

My son, Alexander, or Alex, as he likes to be called, is seventeen years old and is a senior in high school. Alex is applying to colleges and doing the other things that seniors do, like planning for the prom and graduation. He's on the football team and also plays baseball. Alex is also a good kid and a cutie pie—like his dad, which is why he's got these fast girls sniffing behind him. However, unlike his dad, he hasn't let it go to his head, although, I did over-hear a bit of a conversation he had with his best friend Seth on the phone last night. When I heard the word "laid," my antenna shot up and I conveniently found a reason to stick around and listen, but only so many sheets and towels will fit in a linen closet. He realized what I was up to and the conversation became hushed. I don't even want to think about where that conversation was heading.

My sister, Leah, tells me that I'm over protective. She says that he's growing up and that I should give him his space, but as a precaution, I should put condoms on my grocery list. What can I tell you? Being a single mother raising a son is hard.

Jacob—my ex—does spend time with the kids, which is a good thing, but it's so different now that we're not living together as a family. It's really a stressful time right now, and for me, where there's stress, there's the urge to eat. It takes all the willpower I have to stay away from In–N-Out Burger. What I wouldn't give for a Double Double right now—with mustard, grilled onion and extra pickle—but instead of thinking about _what a hamburger's all about_, I'm heading to the gym.

When I initially made my self-improvement list, I wrote the word gym and pondered on the significance of the three letters G Y M. What immediately popped into my mind was "Got Your Man," which was ironic because that's where Jacob met his new fling, at the gym. I decided right then and there that I would refer to it as the S P A, where there'd be "Special People Around". Now that's much better. So, here I am at the _Spa_ with a visitor's pass for a week of aerobics classes. I didn't even have the proper attire, but with friends like Alice, that excuse was just unacceptable! Alice is my best friend and she could talk a prostitute into selling Girl Scout Cookies. Anyway, when I told her about my resolution to get healthy and happy, she insisted on buying me a lifetime membership to the new spa in town and a supply of workout clothes. I opted out of the lifetime membership and the clothes, but agreed to a one week pass to see if I'd like it.

At one point in my life, I was a workout junkie. I would take two aerobics classes back to back without breathing hard, and then take a turn on the Stairmaster (do they still call it that?). Anyway, these days, I walk a few times a month on average. I just want to make sure that I am able to commit to this before I let my friend invest money in it. So, with my towel, water bottle and iron-clad work out bra, I'm here to get my workout on.

The spa is really nice. It is on the fifteenth floor of an office building, a large open space with huge windows around the entire floor. You can enjoy the view of the skyline as you work out. I walk up to the counter and am greeted by a very nice woman. I tell her that I have a week pass and she says that a trainer will be with me in a minute. I tell her that I'm not interested in a trainer; I just want to go to aerobics classes. She tells me that it is procedure for a trainer to take me on a tour of the facility (and I'm sure he'll try to make a sale while he's at it).

As she pages the trainer, I stand there taking in my surroundings. I notice that there is a nursery on the premises where the members can drop off their children and go work out. I find myself thinking that instead of staying home with Tiff and Alex, I could have brought them here while I worked out. I'd certainly be in better shape right now if I had—and so would my life.

As soon as that thought enters my mind, I think of Alice and Leah and what they'd say if they heard me right now. Alice would urge me not to think that way. She'd tell me that I've spent too much time at my own pity party and that I need to let it go and concentrate on living my life. Leah, on the other hand, would just slap me and tell me to snap the hell out of it! She's not one to mince words and she's never been a fan of Jacob.

I notice that posted on the wall behind the counter is a list of classes offered here. There is Low Impact, Step, Boot Camp, Spinning and Zumba. I get excited at the possibilities. As I stand there, several people pass by. There is a group of women who look like they belong on that show _Housewives of Beverly Hills, _the show with the very rich glamorous women who have too much time on their hands, so they sit around talking about one another. Watching them with their hair done up, long nails, jewelry and designer workout gear, I start to feel self-conscious about my choice of workout attire. Maybe I should have listened to Alice and allowed her to buy me a workout wardrobe. Well, anyway, I guess my sweats and T-shirt aren't to their liking because they give me a "you're beneath me" look as they pass by. This certainly is not the way I wanted this endeavor to start.

After the tour, which takes forever (oh, and I was right, he did try to talk me into buying a membership…free pass, yeah, right.)John, the trainer, escorts me back to the aerobics room, or the Aerobics Studio as he calls it. By the time I walk into the studio, the room is practically full. This must be a pretty popular class because everyone is trying to get to the front of the room. I, on the other hand, am right where I want to be, the back row. As I stand there waiting for class to start, who enters but the Housewives of BH in all their glamorous glory. All that preparation just to work out? Who does that? It is obvious that sweating is the furthest thing from their minds. There are also men in the class, which makes it even worse. It's bad enough that I have to shake, rattle, and roll with women around, but men? That makes for a whole new level of uncomfortable.

The Housewives are complaining about how crowded the room is and stare down anyone who enters. I guess they are pissed because they won't be able to admire themselves in the mirror up front. They end up joining me in the back row. Lucky me!

This is the low impact class, which I figure is right up my alley. The class starts and the music is amazing. The instructor is amped up yelling, "Come on people, let's do this!" She certainly gets me pumped. I think_, yeah! This is going to be good!_ The instructor starts the warm up and surprisingly, I am able to keep up with her. It feels good as I move to the music, just like old times. However, my good feeling is fleeting because as the class progresses, unfortunately I don't. I guess I need more than amazing music and an energetic instructor to keep me going, because I only make it through the first fifteen minutes of class before I have to take a little walk…a very slow walk at that. I can hear the Housewives snickering as I leave the room. Once I am able to breathe again, I gather my things from the locker room and get the hell outta there.

_No, I didn't shower!_

When I get home, Alice is waiting on my front porch ready to pounce...she's relentless! She wanted to come to the spa with me, but I wouldn't let her. The last thing I needed was Alice jumping up and down in my aerobics class putting me to shame. It was bad enough that I only lasted fifteen minutes before needing oxygen. Alice would have made the instructor look like a rookie.

"How was it? Did you have fun? Did you get a good workout? Did you break a sweat? Were there cute guys there?" She rattles off all five questions before I have a chance to answer one. I get even more tired just looking at her.

"You sure do ask a lot of questions for such a small person," I tell her as I wobble into the house with her on my tail. "Let me put it this way," I tell her as I plop down on the sofa, "I'm glad I didn't let you to buy me a lifetime membership or the clothes. I'm not setting one foot back in that place!"

"But why, didn't you enjoy it a little bit?" she asks in a defeated tone.

"Hell no! Maybe I was a little too ambitious about the whole spa thing. Maybe I should start off with something slow, like walking. Maybe I'll give it another try later when I build up my stamina."

"Bella, that doesn't make sense. I know how much you love aerobics. I remember in college how you were totally into it. I couldn't even keep up with you. When the music started, it was as if you were transformed into this Ginsu workout master!"

"First of all, Alice, what the hell is a Ginsu? Second of all, today I felt like a fool. I couldn't even finish the class, and on top of that, those skinny skanks with their designer workout gear made me feel like I didn't belong. They were arrogant and rude. To put it mildly, they weren't very welcoming and when I pooped out after fifteen minutes, they laughed at me, especially the skinny blond they call Sam."

"Sam? She's probably a man in drag," Alice said, as she went into defend Bella mode.

"Alice, it's probably short for Samantha or Samra or something like that," I said.

"Well, first of all, I think you're being too hard on yourself. It's going to take some time for you to get back in the swing of things, but you will if you don't give up. Secondly, who the hell do they think they are, treating you that way? Bunch of inconsiderate witches! They have no clue of how difficult it is for someone to make a life changing decision like you've made, and do something about it. It's easier for them to be that way; otherwise, they'd have to think of someone other than themselves.

"Don't let them get to you, Bella. You are a beautiful woman inside and out. So what? You have a few extra pounds on you. The way I see it, you've got two options. You can stay the way you are, and there'll just be a little more of you to love, or you can make some minor adjustments and lose some weight. Either way, you've got it better than those skanks. They're in need of a major overhaul, from head to toe, inside and out. And you know what they say, if ya ugly on the inside, ya ugly on the outside."

"Alice, who says that?" I ask at her profound statement.

She dismisses my question with a wave of her hand and continues, "B, You can't give up! I look at you and see my best friend who has a heart of gold. You're considerate and caring and you do so much for everybody else. It's time for you to be selfish for a change and do something for yourself!" she pokes her puny finger into my arm, making me wince. As Alice goes on about me being selfish for a change, I remember when I had this revelation to make a change in my life.

* * *

_Jake and I had been separated for a while and he was out there sowing his wild oats and on his second girlfriend, while I was all alone, still trying to deal with the fact that I was single again. He was the only man that I'd ever been with and I found myself wondering if he'd be the last. Would I ever love again or find someone who would love me? The prospect of dating did not appeal to me and I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I'd be alone for the rest of my life. _

_I had taken the blame for my failed marriage on my shoulders because when I looked back, I had to admit that I had become complacent. When I had the kids, things changed drastically, and the things that I had done to keep myself up, like the manicures, pedicures, and all the other pampering, got cut out. My life revolved around my family and I didn't have a lot of extra time for myself, my friends and apparently Jake…although I thought things were okay between us. I don't regret the time I shared with my children because they deserved all that I gave them and more, but maybe I could have done more to keep Jake happy or maybe I could have tried harder to make our marriage work. _

_These thoughts consumed me to the point of depression. My belief in God and my kids were what kept me going. I couldn't just stop living; I had to work, and I had to take care of the kids, which at least took my mind off my worries, but it was so hard. _

_Then one day it hit me. I spent so much time taking care of the kids because I had to do it all by myself. I had no choice in the matter. Jake worked, came home and that was it for him. I worked all day, then came home to start my second job as housewife. I cooked dinner every night, helped with homework, kept the house clean, and made sure everyone had clean clothes to wear. _

_I made life easy for everyone else while giving myself the bare minimum. One day I looked at myself in the mirror and said, "You're a good person and you deserve better than this." I realized that there was enough blame to share…and that Jake was not free and clear of it. Maybe I could have been better, but so could he. So, I decided that we needed to talk, to put it all out there. _

_We agreed to meet at his apartment one evening when the kids were visiting their grandparents. After he left, he didn't waste any time getting his own apartment. He answered the door wearing sweats and a tank, and no shoes. It was as if time stood still for him…he still looked so damn good. I tried not to make it so obvious that I was on the verge of drooling. He said hi and gave me one of those half hugs. I could feel the tension the moment I walked in, which immediately put an end to the hot and tingly feeling I got when I saw him. _

_After our awkward exchange, I began what turned out to be a one sided conversation by saying, "Jake, I first want to apologize to you for the mistakes I made in our relationship." I realized that it takes two to tango and I needed to clear the air and my conscience of any wrong doing on my part. I went on to say, "When you left, I was so hurt and confused. I had no idea where it came from. One day we were together and presumably happy and the next, you were gone. I blamed myself for all of it…not being enough for you, not giving you what you needed. But, Jake, after a lot of soul searching, I've come to realize that I was way too hard on myself. I also realize that you allowed me to be. Not once did you own up to the things that you did or didn't do to make our marriage fail. I spread myself thin with work, taking care of you, the kids and the house. No wonder I didn't have time for myself. _

"_But instead of helping and supporting me, or talking to me about it, you just gave up. You were my best friend and we talked about everything. How did we go from that to this—you letting me. us go so easily? How could you just walk away from someone that you claimed to love? Jake, although I loved being married to you, it wasn't always a day at the beach, but when I married you, I took our vows seriously and I gave you my whole heart. You just ripped it to pieces! I would have never done that to you. I would have tried anything and everything to make our marriage work, but you just threw it all away without even looking back." _

_I had to stop for a minute before I totally broke down. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes and I tried so hard not to let them fall. I knew that I had to finish this soon or I wouldn't be able to. _

_After taking a few deep breaths, I continued, "Look Jake, it's obvious that you wanted out and I can't do anything about that. This whole situation has taken so much out of me, but I still have my pride…and I don't want to be with someone who doesn't want to be with me. I know that you love the kids and I know that we both want what's best for them, so you can spend as much time with them as you want, but from this point on, I'm done. I know this probably means nothing to you because you were done some time ago, but not me…I never gave up on you. It took me this long to realize that you didn't treat me the way I deserve to be treated…the way that I hope to one day be treated. I'm going to hold out for that."_

_I looked at Jake, waiting for a response but got nothing. I finally asked the question that I wanted to ask many times during this conversation. "Do you have anything to say? Is this that easy for you?" I asked, feeling totally frustrated by his lack of emotion, his lack of feeling and his lack of love for me. _

_He finally responded, "Bella, none of this is easy, but I, I…there's nothing to say." It seemed as though he was going to say something, but there was nothing. That's when I knew that it was officially over. _

"_Okay, Jake. I guess you're right…there's nothing else to say other than goodbye," I said quietly as I stood and walked to the door. I paused there for a minute hoping that he would say something, maybe give me something to hold on to, but again, there was nothing. _

_I opened the door and walked out of his apartment and his life. My heart was broken as I walked out, leaving a piece of it behind, but I was hopeful that one day it would mend._

* * *

"Bella! Are you even listening to me?" Alice asks when she realizes that I have spaced out.

"I'm sorry, Alice, I heard you, but I was just thinking about what you said," I respond.

"Well you'd better think about what I've said and think about going back to the spa...and I'm going with you!" she says. That's my friend. Talk about heart, this little woman's heart is twice her size. We have been friends for over twenty years and she knows everything about me. We've been there for each other through thick and thin. I met Alice in junior high school and we were roommates in college. She was my maid of honor at my wedding, and I was hers when she married Jasper. She's family and I'm so blessed to have her in my life. Here she is again, supporting and encouraging me.

As I wipe the tears from my eyes, I realize how loved I really am. I decide right then and there that I will not give up, and I also decide that I will not let a few bottom dwellers discourage me. I will go back to the spa with my head held high. Alice is right, I am patient with everybody else. I'm going to give myself the same courtesy. I deserve this. I'll take it one step at a time, and eventually I'll be able to make it through the class. Hell, maybe even two classes, like I used to. And if those skanks give me the stink eye again, I will literally wipe the makeup off their faces with my sweaty towel.

"Okay, Ally, I'll go back," I say. "But I have to do this on my own. You can't fight my battles for me," I said.

"The hell I can't! You're going to need reinforcements. I'm calling Leah. She and I will handle this."

Oh, I know they will. When Alice and Leah get together, trouble follows.

Leah is my sister, so to speak. She is the daughter of my father's second wife, Sue, so technically that makes her my step-sister. Leah and I had a hard time getting along in the beginning. Charlie and Sue tried everything to bring us together, but my feeling was that I grew up an only child for sixteen years; I didn't need a sister at this late date, especially one who couldn't stand me. Plus, Alice was like a sister to me, so I didn't need another one.

It was obvious that Leah felt the same way. She made it crystal clear that she resented her mother and Charlie for getting married after her father passed away. It took a long time for us to even speak to one another.

It wasn't until one day—and I remember it like it was yesterday—Jessica Stanley and her motley crew were giving me a hard time at school. Jessica was jealous because her boyfriend, Mike Newton, asked me out. Actually, I couldn't believe that he asked me, shy Bella Swan, who couldn't look a boy in the eye until I was a junior in high school. Mike and I had the same science class and I'd hear him talking about his different conquests, even though Jessica was supposed to be his girlfriend, or so she thought. I thought he was a pig. Well, the seat next to me was empty and, as usual, I read my book until class began. I saw someone sit next to me in my peripheral view, but I didn't look.

* * *

_"Hey, Bella, I was thinking that we could get together and go to a movie or something," he said, exuding confidence and cockiness. To say that I was shocked was an understatement. I found the courage to look at him and found him staring at me waiting for an answer. I was dumbfounded, and as I was thinking of a way to get out of this awkward situation, I was saved by Mr. Martinez._

_"Okay, class, time to get started. Today we begin the exciting topic of osmosis. Newton, aren't you in the wrong seat?" Mr. Martinez asked._

_Mike, looking somewhat embarrassed, got up and went back to his seat. I knew what I was going to do as soon as the bell rang. Bolt!_

_Later that afternoon, Jessica was standing with her cronies in the hallway near my locker. As I approached my locker, I heard her whiny voice._

_"Bella, I hear that you tried to hit on Mike," she said as she pointed her scrawny finger in my face. "You try to play miss innocent, but everybody knows that you are a tramp. I'm telling you now that it won't work on my man, so you better back the hell off!"_

_I stood there totally confused, looking around for the person she was really talking to. My first thought was, she must have me confused with someone else. Then several other thoughts made their way through the confusion. Tramp? Who is she calling a tramp? I've never even kissed a boy. _

_Well, to my surprise, Leah came to my defense. "Look, Stanley, nobody wants that man-whore of yours. Instead of attacking Bella, you should be kicking Mike's ass. Everybody knows that he's the tramp." Then she got in Jessica's face and continued, "And if you ever…" she emphasized the last word, "Point your finger in her face again, I promise you…you will draw back a nub."_

_Needless to say, Jessica backed up, placing her hands in her pocket. Leah just stared her down until she and her puppets retreated back to the hell hole they came out of._

_After that, Leah and I became friends. Our relationship has developed over the years and she has become a sister to me…and Alice, too. Her name, Leah Clearwater, fits her perfectly. Everything about her is crystal clear; no pretense or sugar coating. What you see is what you get, which is something I've come to love about her._

* * *

"Bella, I called Leah and she said that she will meet us at the gy…the spa tomorrow. She said not to worry about a thing," Alice says, drawing me out of deep thought. She has a habit of doing that.

The next day, Alice and I drive together and wait at the entrance for Leah to arrive. She arrives in true Leah form, ready to "'beat-a-sista-down." She storms in like a lioness looking for her prey. We walk into the Aerobics Studio and Leah all but yells, "Where are the douche bags that gave you a hard time yesterday, Bella?"

Of course she says it loud enough for everyone to hear, especially the douche bags themselves. I feel like a five year old pointing out the class bully to my mother. I try to be inconspicuous as I point one out.

"That's the main one. Her name is Sam."

"Sam? What is she—a man in drag?" Leah responded.

Alice gasps. "That's what I said!"

"Yeah, if she so much as looks at you funny, I'll drag her ass alright…across this hard wood floor!" Leah says, intentionally getting Sam's attention.

"Leah, will you be good? I don't want to cause any trouble," I whisper to her in my failed attempt to detract attention.

"She started this, but I'm gonna finish it," Leah says before she finds a spot right next to Sam.

Alice giggles as she finds her spot on the other side of her. They have her surrounded, both of them giving her the stare of death. I almost feel sorry for her…almost. Anyway, the class goes well, other than the accidental elbows that Sam gets from Leah and the accidental kicks she gets from Alice. When I hear her yell "ouch" a couple times, I give them a look that says "back off!"My budget does not include funds to bail two crazy women out of jail. Apparently they get the message because the rest of the class goes by rather uneventfully. I even last half the class before I take a break to catch my breath. I'd say that's progress.

When the class ends, Sam is one of the first to leave. Leah and her half pint accomplice can be very intimidating. Several of the members gather in the center of the room with the instructor, giving each other high fives and hugs. They all speak to the instructor, a beautiful African American woman who seems to know everyone. They compliment her on the class and the music, which I must say was great. I watch her as she speaks with everyone who approaches her. She appears genuinely interested in what they are saying. I can only hear bits of the conversations, but she is very encouraging.

Watching people is a habit I developed when I was younger, and still do to this day. I find it so intriguing. When we were younger, Alice and I would sit and people-watch, as we called it. We would watch them inconspicuously; how they interacted with others, how they dressed. Alice paid particular attention to shoes and jewelry. She said that you could always tell if someone had a lot of money by their jewelry and their shoes. I guess she was always destined to be a designer. I paid more attention to their interactions with others and their facial expressions. I could always see the kindness in people, or lack thereof.

It is my impression that the instructor is a kind person. I also notice that she is naturally beautiful. She has a gorgeous figure, a beautiful smile, and she doesn't look like she has just visited the MAC counter before class. She is wearing a simple pair of workout pants, two layered tanks, and her hair is pulled back in a ponytail with a headband and no jewelry. You know, the way you're supposed to look when you work out. Just from watching her, I get the impression that she is real and down to earth. I like her right away.

Alice and Leah come over to me and startle me out of my people watching stupor. Of course, Alice knows what I was doing as she gives me a slight smile.

"So what did you think of the class? Did you have a good time?" she asks. I swear this woman should be a reporter with all the questions!

"I enjoyed it, definitely better than the last time," I reply. "It's going to take some time to get used to it, but I'm gonna hang in there. It's a fun class, and the instructor is amazing!"

"I know, huh," Leah comments. "The girl had me gasping for air and I work out regularly, if you know what I mean. I just may have to come back a few more times to let her whip me back into shape."

"Me too!" Alice squeals. "We'll make it a family affair! If the three of us join together, I'm sure I can get them to give us the reduced rate for families."

"Alice, you know I love you like a sister, but we are not actually related," I try to gently break the news to her.

"So, they don't have to know that!" she says, as she rolls her eyes. "I swear, B, you let the tiniest of details get in the way," she says, as she whisks past me toward the front desk. I bet you top dollar she'll come back with a family membership for us. We stand there in awe as Alice goes to take care of the "family business."

"You know what's next don't you?" Leah asks. "She'll have us at the mall buying workout clothes."

"Not me, I have to get home to start dinner. Besides, sweats and T-shirts are all I need and I've got plenty of those," I reply.

Leah looks at me and says while cracking up, "You must really be oxygen deprived if you think Alice is going to allow you to wear sweats and T-shirts to work out, especially when she's around. I want to be here when you tell her that."

"Tell me what?" Alice asks, getting in at the tail end of our conversation. She continues speaking before allowing us to answer her question. "Here, this is for you Bella, and this is for you Leah." She hands us both our temporary membership cards. "You both have to complete a few forms and take a picture, but Dem says that you can do that the next time you come."

"Dem?" Leah asks, not at all surprised by the fact that Alice is already on a first name basis with the guy. "Girl, you should be on _The Apprentice_ or some shit like that," she continues with a chuckle.

Leave it to Alice to not only be on a first name basis with this man, but to also have a nick name for him.

"What?" Alice says with mock surprise. "He told me that his name is Demetrius, but his friends call him Dem. I figured I'd be his BF if he did me a favor. Anyway hussies, it doesn't matter what I call him, the important thing is that he took care of us. He even gave us his employee discount!"

What are we going to do with her? As we continue our conversation, the aerobics instructor passes by as she is exiting the room. She smiles and says hello to us.

"We enjoyed your class," I say as she walks by.

She stops to respond, "Thank you. Was this your first time?" she asks, already knowing the answer to her question.

"Yes, was it that obvious?" I ask embarrassed.

"No, no! It's just that I remember the people who come to my class, especially the ones who are serious. Just hang in there and it will pay off," she says encouragingly. "I'm Rosalie, by the way, but most people call me Rose…like the flower, but only not spelled the same."

"Huh?" I say, wondering where that came from.

"Don't mind me…It's a strange habit of mine…quoting, or in this case, misquoting lines from movies. When I said that, I was reminded of the line from the Green Mile…you know when Michael Clark Duncan's character John Coffey says…"

Before Rosalie can finish the line, Alice interjects. "Yeah, John Coffey, like the drink, only not spelled the same," she says in a very deep southern accent. We all laugh.

Rose continues, "Yeah, that's right! I don't usually do it with people I don't know, it just slipped. After teaching three classes, I guess exhaustion is kicking in."

"Or maybe it's because you feel comfortable around us. It's okay, we're good people," Alice says.

"Maybe so…I don't mean maybe so that you're good people, I mean maybe I feel comfortable around you," Rose says.

"It's okay. Nice to meet you, Rose. I'm Alice, and these are my sisters, Bella and Leah."

"Really? I would have never known that the three of you are sisters," Rose says.

"Yeah, I bet 'Dem' said the same thing," Leah says, looking wide eyed at Alice.

She just giggles and continues giving Rose the third degree. "How long have you been teaching Aerobics? Where are you from? When are your classes?'

You can tell that Rose finds her amusing as she answers every question. We all fall into a comfortable conversation. I tell her that I came the day before by myself and was very discouraged when I only lasted fifteen minutes of the class, and that I was discouraged even more when the Housewives laughed at me when I staggered out of the class. I tell her that I had no intention of coming back until Alice talked some sense into me, and that Alice and Leah insisted on coming as reinforcements. When I'm done with my rambling session, I realize that I just shared a lot of personal information with someone that I barely know.

Rose chuckles at my use of the word "staggered," but says encouragingly, "Girl, don't you let these goofy women discourage you. They are here for one thing and we know what that is. Give me a break, if I worked out with that much make up on, my eyes would be as red as the vampires' in Twilight! Anyway, they're just trying to scare you off because they're threatened by you. You're competition and the less competition they have, the greater their chances of being noticed…and they don't care who they hurt in the process. Especially that damn Sam….she's a douche bag. I thought I saw her taking a beating back there. I just didn't know it was intentional. Next time, let me know and I will join you."

Leah chuckles and replies," Well, I would have had her ass rolling out of here on a stretcher, but Bella here gave me the stare of death. So, I decided to play nice, for now."

"We…decided to play nice," Alice corrects, knowing that she would have had a hand in it, too.

"Well, I'm sure she deserves whatever she gets, but I'm glad you decided to play nice. But don't worry…I'll keep an eye on her. If I see her getting a bug up her butt, I'll handle her. I've been waiting for a reason to kick her ass anyway. "

"I like her," Leah says jokingly about Rose.

Honestly, we all feel the same way. There is something about Rose that just clicks with us. Maybe we just found sister number four.


	2. Chapter 2 An Angry Rose Ain't Pretty

A/N: I've re-posted this chapter after being introduced to Project Team Beta. They are wonderful! A special thanks to NinaQ, 4mejasper, and TDS88 for editing this chapter.

The Spa

Chapter Two: An Angry Rose Ain't Pretty

I am really beginning to enjoy the aerobics classes, but my life is a whirlwind. When I get home, I cook dinner, make sure that the kids do their homework, put on my workout clothes and rush to the spa. That is my ritual. Rose is an amazing instructor. She always comes to class raring to go. She is so enthusiastic and so supportive, and she has wonderful taste in music. Her eclectic collection, which I love, consists of R&B, rap, pop, rock and jazz. Leah, Alice and I fit right in with the regulars in the class, who Rose refers to as her posse. I am even able to finish the class!

The Housewives of Beverly Hills, who we now refer to as the BH girls, chat and complain during class. They complain about the music, the pace of the class, the temperature in the room, you name it…they complain about it. Sam was being her usual bitchy self—that is until Rose had enough. It was a sight to behold.

* * *

_We were in the middle of class when, out of the blue, we hear the most annoying ringtone I'd ever heard. Of course, it would belong to Sam. She stopped and went to the back of the room and answered her cell phone. Can you believe her…she just started a conversation in the middle of the class! You'd think she'd have had enough sense to step outside, but no…she just stood there competing with "When I Grow Up" by the Pussy Cat Dolls. She was really pissing us all off, because it's a really good song, and she was messing up our groove._

_"Sam, could you please take that outside?" Rose asked._

_Sam glared at Rose as if she had asked her to cut off her finger and continued her conversation. It was obvious that she was doing this to irk Rose. Why else would anyone try to hold a conversation in an aerobics class with the music blaring?_

_The person on the other end of the line must have asked her if it was a bad time because Sam said, "No, it's not a bad time, just some bimbo speaking. Anyway, I'm meeting Tanya and Kate for dinner tonight. They are in town for the big wedding—you know the one that is so hush hush? Well you didn't hear it from me, but in a few months, we'll be seeing a lot more of her…if you know what I mean," she said with a smirk._

_Suddenly, the music stopped. Rose, still wearing the mic, said, "Since you insist on competing with PCD, you win! We'll just listen to you. Is that all right with you guys?" she asked the class before turning her attention back on Sam._

_We all followed suit and looked at her as well. Realizing that all eyes were on her, Sam slammed her phone shut._

_She looked at Rose and asked, "What the hell is your problem?"_

_Rose replied so calmly that it scared me. "I was wondering the same thing about you."_

_I got an eerie feeling that this was the calm before the storm. I looked at Leah, who was surprisingly quiet during all of this. Any other time, Leah would have handled the situation. The phone would have been smashed to pieces, and so would Sam for that matter, but that didn't happen. Instead, Leah shrugged her shoulders and muttered, "Oh shit."_

_Rose walked toward Sam while continuing to speak. "I was also wondering if maybe you were dropped on your head as a child, or maybe shaken until something broke loose in that head of yours, or maybe you are just a stupid bitch!"_

_I was right—calm before the storm—or more like a hurricane. Sam was dumbfounded. She opened her mouth to speak, and I found myself wanting to cover it with my hand because I knew if she said anything to Rose but "I'm sorry" she was in for it._

_"Who the hell do you think you are?" Sam spat._

_Rose responded fiercely, "I'm the bimbo who's gonna kick your ass if you don't get the fuck out of my class."_

_"What…" Sam said as she made a failed attempt to get her words out but was cut short because Rose was now standing so close that Sam would probably smell her breath if Rose didn't tower over her by a few inches,_

_"You heard me…get the fuck out!" Rose spat, as she looked down at Sam._

_Sam looked around the room taking in the expressions of everyone there. She took a step back from Rose, knowing that we were all in agreement with her. She slowly backed out of the room, which was a good thing, because if she had been going any faster, she would have really hurt herself when she backed into the door. She reached behind her back for the knob and backed out. As terrified as she looked, I was sure she ran once she was out of the room. When we heard the click of the door closing, the room erupted in laughter, applause and high fives for Rose._

_Rose walked to the front of the room and smiled as she put her hands up motioning for everyone to calm down. She said, "Now that we got rid of the Riff-raff, I have something I need to say to you all. I know that there are some of you who don't particularly like my class, and that's fine. But it's unfair of you to come here disrupting the class with your comments, especially when you don't have to be here. If you have constructive criticism, suggestions regarding the music or whatever, I am willing to listen. What I will not tolerate is you taking up class time to complain and distract those who are serious about working out._

_"If you are that miserable, find another class to go to. This is serious to me, and I know that it's serious to many of you. You all are here for different reasons. Whatever those reasons are, I want to help in any way I can to make sure you're successful. For those of you who don't feel that way, you have two options: find another class, or keep your comments to yourself. For my posse, thank you for supporting me. I love hanging with you, and I think it's great that we can work hard and have fun at the same time. I'm sure you would agree that since we've gotten rid of some of the crap, it'll be even better. So, in the words of Jermaine Jackson, 'Let's Get Serious'!" The music started up again, and we had the best class ever!_

* * *

After that, things got even better…no more Sam! Although, she did run to daddy to tell him what had happened…spoiled brat! Apparently her daddy is Mr. Money Bags whose company has a major contract with the spa. We were afraid for Rose, and for ourselves, that they'd fire her. It just wouldn't be the same without her. However, none of this seemed to faze Rose…maybe she knew something we didn't. Our fears were soon squashed when management gave Rose their full support. This may have had something to do with the fact that several of the members went to the front office to tell them what happened and complained about Sam being a nuisance in class. We also told them that if Rose leaves, we'd be right behind her. You can only imagine who spearheaded that campaign.

**_A month later_**

I arrive at the spa a little earlier than usual. I didn't take lunch, so I manage to get out of the office an hour early. I cooked a pan of lasagna last night and left instructions for Alex to warm it for dinner. Tiff will be attending an orientation meeting to volunteer at the local animal shelter, so I'll pick her up after my aerobics class.

I make it a point to stretch a little before class because one time I didn't and could hardly get out of bed the next morning. After a while, Alice and Leah join me, and we continue our stretching while catching up on the latest things happening in our lives. Not only is this good for me in terms of my getting in shape—I've lost five pounds already—but it also allows me to spend time with my friends and make new ones. Lately, our lives have been so busy that we haven't had a chance to spend any real time together.

Alice loves all things design: fashion design, interior design, you name it. She has such a great eye and can make something beautiful out of the most hideous things. She and Jasper have a wonderful relationship and still, after fifteen years of marriage, absolutely adore each other. Thus, when she has spare time, it's not me or Leah that she wants to spend time with, and understandably so, but I miss my friend. We talk on the phone and text and usually get together on holidays, but I'd love to spend more time with her. With our work schedules and our families, it is just hard to find the time. Alice and Jasper have twin boys, Jason and Jackson, who are 12 years old. Fortunately for all of us, she has a nanny to help with the boys. Otherwise, we'd never get to see her.

Leah, on the other hand, is single and doesn't have children, but I see her even less. Leah is a workaholic. She owns a garage where she works full-time restoring old—oops, I mean "classic" cars—she'd kick my butt if she heard that. She also volunteers at the Native American Youth Outreach Center, where she spends a lot of time working with kids from the community. Although the center's primary focus is Native American youth, no one is ever turned away, and Leah is great with them. She is hard-nosed, and she doesn't take any shit from anybody, but she, like Alice, has a heart of gold. Just don't get on her bad side because she's like the Incredible Hulk… you won't like her when she's angry.

Our spa time gives us the chance to spend some quality time together, and it's been great. Getting to know Rose, and her becoming a part of our group, is an added bonus. We're having such a good time that we don't notice the room is now full, and it is time for class to begin. I look up just as Rose charges into the room like a woman on a mission. I open my mouth to say "hi," but something, be it intuition or divine intervention, tells me to shut it. Usually, she greets the class and chats with us for a few minutes before gently easing us into our workout, but not today. She walks directly to the cabinet that houses the music equipment and puts on the headset with the microphone.

Everyone notices that something is wrong because all talking ceases…well almost; only two words are spoken, "Oh shit!" courtesy of Leah. We look at one another, shrugging our shoulders, clueless as to what is going on. We are, however, sure of two things: Rose is pissed off about something, and we are all going to suffer because of it.

The music starts, and Rose faces the class and says coldly, "Let's get started"...and we do.

Rose leads the class from the front of the room the entire hour without missing a beat. She usually makes her way around the room, correcting positions and playing around while instructing the class. That's one of the things I love about her class. She has a way of reeling us in and making us forget that we are a bunch of tired, sweaty messes. But this day, she is a drill sergeant.

Leah is a little hung over from the night before, so needless to say, she is having a hard time keeping up. She finally waves her hand and says, "To hell with this, I'll see you in the locker room," and staggers out of the room. If Rose keeps up this pace, I'll be right behind Leah.

I am barely moving my feet, panting like a dog, and sweating like a pig. I am so deliriously tired that my mind wanders off to the land R&R, and I don't mean rest and relaxation. I'm talking about the land of the random and ridiculous, where thoughts enter my head like: Why do people say "sweating like a pig" when pigs don't sweat? Or, if it's nacho cheese, then whose cheese is it?

Anyway, as I come to, I realize that I am not the only one in a fatigue-induced comatose state. Out of a class of about forty people, most of which are on the verge of collapsing, two look as if they are possessed by the Energizer Bunny—Rose and Alice. Half Pint is having a ball keeping up with Rose! She could have done us all a favor and at least faked being tired; maybe Rose would have had mercy on us—But no! I thank God when the music stops and I am able to catch my breath!

Class doesn't end with applause and high fives this day because it takes all the energy we have to walk out of there. All she gets from us is heavy breathing, moaning and groaning and maybe a slight wave as we wobble out. Rose looks around the room, clueless, as if saying, "What?"

Is she for real? Is she totally oblivious to the fact that she almost committed a mass murder in here? She just dismisses it with a shrug and turns around to place the headset back in the cabinet. I contemplate going to ask if she's okay, but quite frankly, the woman scares me!

Finally, I woman up and start walking toward her when suddenly a man, an absolutely gorgeous man, sneaks up behind her and whispers something in her ear. She appears startled at first, and I think, this guy better have some mad dodging skills because she is going to slap the shit out of him, but when she turns around, I can tell that she knows him and for the first time today, I see her smile.

I can't hear their conversation, but she says something excitedly as she slaps his arm, and he embraces her lifting her off the ground. They stand there talking, so I decide not to intrude.

As I make my way to the locker room, a million questions enter my mind like: Who is that guy? Are they together? Where did they meet? When did Rose start dating white guys? Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with interracial relationships. I mean my family is like the Rainbow Coalition. Jake is Native American, Black and White, I'm White, my sister is Native American, my mother is crazy (now that's a whole other story), and that makes my kids …well, it makes them a plethora of things. But I find myself wondering about the dynamics of their relationship.

In the short time that I've known Rose, we've talked about a lot of things, including relationships. I've shared with her my horror story about my marriage, and she's shared some of her own about dating, or lack thereof. I remember one conversation in particular when she shared a very hurtful experience she had when her roommate tried to fix Rose up with her brother.

* * *

_"It's hard to find a good man who's not out to get in my panties. I've given brothers many chances, but they've always managed to disappoint me. A few guys of other ethnic groups have approached me, but to be honest, I don't know how I feel about dating outside my race. I've only dated black guys because, for one, I love black men, and secondly, we have that in common. They understand what it's like to be black, and the challenges we have to face because of our race. Believe it or not, there are a lot of people in this world who still have that backward way of thinking. It's hard enough getting to know someone, but to add other variables like race and religion to the equation… I don't know if I want to put forth the energy. It's not my place to discourage anyone from dating whoever they want to date, but I've just never done it and don't know if I want to. I'd probably have trust issues anyway, especially with white guys. I had a very bad experience that left a scar._

_"When I was in college, I had a white roommate, Linda. She wasn't the first white person that I spent time with, but I was her first black friend. She was very curious and had a lot of questions, all of which I entertained. It was a learning experience for both of us, and she was genuinely interested in learning about our differences. For instance, she was amazed at how many ways I could wear my hair. The texture of black hair varies from afro to bone straight and many styles in-between, and asked to touch it every time I changed hairstyles. I had no problem with it because she was genuinely interested…in fact, we both were. I was amazed that she could wash her hair and walk out in freezing cold weather and not catch a cold. If I'd done that, I'd have pneumonia…well at least a bad cold. I don't care what research says about how people catch colds, for me, wet hair plus freezing cold weather equals common cold._

_"Anyway, we spent a lot of time together, learning about each other's culture, colloquialisms, and traditions. We learned to understand one another and became very good friends. We both realized that we had far more similarities than we had differences. We met each other's parents and were both practically adopted as members of each other's family; however, when she introduced me to her brother—that was a different story._

_"Unbeknownst to me, she had planned to introduce us because she thought we would hit it off. He was in on it, but she apparently forgot to share one minor detail with him—that I was black. We were at a gathering at her parent's house, celebrating his graduation from Yale and his acceptance to Yale Law School. Linda and I were chatting with her parents when her brother, Marcus, walked into the room. I knew this because of the ringing in my ear when she screamed his name. She ran to him, almost knocking him down, grabbed his hand and dragged him over to where we were standing._

_"He hugged his parents and said a few words to them. I remember thinking how handsome he was, and he had a beautiful smile…that is until he looked at me. It was like I was Medusa or something because he took one look at me, and his face turned to stone. I mean his whole demeanor changed, and he couldn't get away from me fast enough! Linda introduced us and he barely got out, "hi," before he turned and ran off. I thought, what the hell was that all about? I later found out what Linda had in mind when she introduced us. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was the old 'want to meet your roommate—but find out that she's black—so I get the hell out of dodge' trick._

_"I could tell how bad Linda felt, and I knew that their parents were upset with Marcus for his behavior, so I blew it off and told her that it was no big deal, but deep down I was hurt and embarrassed. He just dismissed me like I was nothing. Needless to say, Linda never tried to set me up again, and I pretty much swore off dating white guys. It's amazing that people from the same household, raised by the same wonderful parents, can be so different in their way of thinking. I guess he didn't get the tolerance gene."_

* * *

I was in tears as I listened to Rose's hurtful recollection. When I tried to reassure her that he was just a jerk, and that any man would be lucky to be with her, she just dismissed it and said that it was a long time ago and that she was over it. I can't help but wonder if she is still trying to hide that it hurt her very deeply. I find it hard to believe a woman as beautiful and kind as Rose has never found a man, regardless of his race, that she'd even consider settling down with. My goodness, if it's that hard for her, is there any hope of a second chance for me?

Getting to know Rose has been great. I've learned that there's more to her than what appears on the surface, which makes her all the more endearing. She's intelligent, caring, and gives of herself so freely. Rose works as a psychologist, but she also donates a lot of her time volunteering for an organization called ABC, A Better Chance. She works with girls, encouraging them to be independent, self sufficient, respectful young ladies. She conducts seminars that address the importance of education, physical fitness, hygiene, abstinence and safe sex. She also provides family counseling free of charge to families that cannot afford it.

Because she's attractive, one would assume she has a lot of prospects, but that's not the case. She says her best friend, who happens to be a guy, tells her that a lot of men are intimidated by strong, independent woman. They're either insecure, or they don't think they have a chance. Therefore, they don't try. Rather than spending a lot of time trying to figure them out, she works on making herself happy, which she says, may or may not include battery-operated devices. She also has an incredible sense of humor.

One night we were discussing having children, and all of a sudden she blurted out in a strong New York accent, while stomping her foot, "My biological clock is tickin' like this, and the way this is goin', I ain't never gettin' married!" I recognize the line immediately from My Cousin Vinny; you know…the one when Marisa Tomei is talking about her biological clock? I guess you'll have to see the movie. Anyway, we laughed so hard! It amazes me how quick she is. One word and it prompts her to come up with a line from a movie or a song. It's a little strange that I find myself picking up the habit as well.

If she's not working, teaching class or doing her volunteer thing, she's usually at home watching movies or _I Love Lucy_, which is something we discovered we have in common. We both happen to be _I Love Lucy_ fanatics. She is the only other person I've met who knows the lyrics to the show's theme song…now, how's that for accomplished? We've shared so much, which is why I find it strange that she's never mentioned Mr. Good Looking, because they're obviously very close.

I know he's not one of the regulars because I definitely would have noticed him before now, but it's obvious that he's a regular somewhere—with a body like that. Apparently, he was in our class today because, like the rest of us, he is a sweaty mess, albeit, a beautiful sweaty mess. The way his T-shirt clings to his lean muscular form, giving a glimpse of what he has under there, makes me want to rip it off. His arms and legs are muscular and toned, not too big, but just right. His body is… "What the hell am I doing?" I think, as I slap myself out of my stupor. I really need to get some rest, among other things, because I'm losing it. I don't usually go around drooling over men, especially when they're unavailable. I have not reacted like this to a man in a very long time—not since Jacob.

Jacob, my ex-husband, is a very handsome man. I met him my freshman year at college. I remember like it was yesterday...

* * *

_I walked into the classroom with a bewildered look on my face, you know, the typical freshman look. This was a new experience for me. This was my first time being away from home, in a new place, with new people. It was pretty scary. I felt like all eyes were on me, so I took the first available seat. I was too busy pulling the things I needed from my backpack that I didn't look up to see the person sitting next to me._

_I heard a deep voice come from the seat next to me say, "Hello." I looked up at this guy who took my breath away._

_I finally found my voice and said, "Hello." The smirk on his face let me know that he realized the effect he had on me._

_"I'm Jacob Black," he said as he looked at me, waiting for a response._

_"I'm Isabella…Bella Swan," I responded nervously._

_"Well, Isabella Bella Swan, I figured that since we are going to be sitting next to each other, I should at least know your name." He said as he flashed a big smile showing a set of beautiful white teeth. He was gorgeous._

_Over the course of the semester, we got to know each other. We became lab partners, and we worked well together. We were in study groups together, and he would walk me to my dorm after the sessions. He also lived in the dorms, but on the other side of campus._

_One night, after our study group, he invited me to get a bite to eat. I was starving, so I agreed to go. We went to a restaurant off-campus and had dinner. We talked for hours about everything. He told me about his family, how his mother was Native American and that his dad was African American. He told me that his mother and father had been married for twenty years, and how they sacrificed to send him to college, and his goal was to make them proud. He told me about his girlfriend back home and how they decided to take a break when they went their separate ways to college._

_He talked about the girls on campus and how forward they were. Apparently they were throwing themselves at him, which under different circumstances would have been okay, but he didn't need the distraction right now._

_I thought to myself, this is great! Here's a guy who I can study with, talk to about anything, and just hang out with, without the idea of sex coming into the picture, because that idea scared the crap out of me. I told my dad, Charlie, about Jacob. I thought that having a best friend and protector all rolled into one would make him feel better about me being away from home. Of course, my father, being the Chief of Police in my hometown, wanted to do a security check on him. He actually told me about some pickpocketing techniques so that I could lift Jacob's wallet. He said that it was for a good cause—me, and that all he needed was a Driver's License number and he would know Jake's life story. Of course, I refused._

_In the time that I'd known Jacob, he'd been a perfect gentleman. Anyway, I was sure that he wasn't interested in anything other than friendship, especially with all the hotsy-totsies parading around, leaving nothing to the imagination. I was somewhat plain, reserved, and very inexperienced, but like Jacob, I knew what I was there to do, and it wasn't to snag a man. If he had shown me some attention, I probably would have run for the hills. When I say that I had no experience, I mean none, nada, zilch...you get the picture._

_The next year, I was a sophomore and Jacob was a junior; we were the best of friends. In fact, we did everything together…except, you know. I could tell that things were changing a little because Jacob started going out on dates. When he did, I was usually left alone. I found myself wondering about his dates, if he took them somewhere romantic, what they did. I knew that it was more than just talking, because I noticed bruises on his neck a few times. We used to call them hickies or monkey bites, but they certainly weren't from a monkey. I knew that much at least. I wondered who got the best of whom and if she walked away with battle scars too. Well if she did, at least she had fun fighting. I, on the other hand, had not even gone to boot camp. A few guys showed interest in me, but I usually found a polite way of turning them down._

_One day, I was approached by a guy in class who invited me to join him and a group of students who were going out to an open mic night. I didn't have any plans, so I decided to go. I hadn't done much but study since I'd been here, and I loved music, so I figured why not? I actually found myself looking forward to it. He offered to pick me up, and I agreed since I'd been in class with him all semester. I figured that he wouldn't try anything, plus hanging out with Jake has its advantages...he could be quite intimidating._

_Well anyway, my date, if you can call him that, arrived right on time. The fact that we'd be with a group of people made me feel more comfortable about the whole thing. Alice was my roommate and best friend. When I wasn't with Jake, which was rare, I was with her. When I told her about my plans, she insisted on helping me get ready. Alice decided, against my better judgment, that I would wear my hair curled._

_As she was curling, what seemed like a strand at a time, she began talking, "Bella, I'm so glad to see you going out and having fun for a change. All you do is study or hang out with Jake, and we know there's no action going on there. You work so hard to make good grades, but you need to take a break every once in a while and have fun—you know, embrace the whole college experience."_

_I replied, "Alice, I am embracing the college experience. I go out and do things!"_

_"Yeah right!" she retorted, "with Jake…when he's around. He goes out and has a good time, but what about you? When he's out with the honeys, you're left alone with the…Nutra Sweet!"_

_"Alice that was bad," I said at her corny remark._

_"I know, sue me—but you know what I mean! I'm just saying there's nothing wrong with you going out on a date every once in a while. Who knows, if Jake sees you going out, maybe he'll realize how much he cares about you."_

_"Of course he cares about me, Alice. He's my other best friend!" I said._

_"Yea, he's your best friend, but it'd be even better if he was your best friend with benefits, if you know what I mean," she suggested, waggling her eyebrows_

_"Alice! It's not like that with Jake. We're just…" I started to explain before I was cut off._

_"Bella, don't give me that load of crap. I think both of you need to get your heads out of your asses and smell the fresh air," she said, rolling her eyes while curling the last few strands of my hair._

_I had to admit that she did a good job, and I loved the outfit that she picked out for me. She's such a diva and has impeccable taste. It looked better than anything I could have come up with._

_We were putting the finishing touches on my outfit, makeup and spraying perfume when we heard a knock on the door. It was a race to the door, with Alice in the lead, but I managed to grab her shirt and pull her back. Thank God, she only weighed five pounds._

_"It's my date. I'll get the door!" I exclaimed._

_"Okay, you party pooper. I just wanted him to know that you have a roommate, and if he tried anything, I'd know what he looked like," she said as she made her way back to the living room._

_I answered the door and made introductions, "Alice, this is Chris. Chris, this is my roommate Alice."_

_Chris walked up to Alice with his hand extended, saying, "It's nice to meet you, Alice."_

_"Same here," Alice replied. "What time should I expect her home?"_

_I looked at her and laughed in her face as I said, "Bye, Alice."_

_Chris told her how nice it was to meet her, and we walked out._

_Even with all the commotion, I couldn't help but notice the way Chris looked at me. I never really paid attention, but he was good looking, and the way that he looked at me gave me the impression that he was thinking the same about me, which made me feel a little nervous. As he opened the door, he confirmed my suspicion when he told me how nice I looked, which was a first for me. It kind of gave me goose bumps._

_We drove to the bar in no time, and he opened my door and helped me out of the car. He grabbed his guitar from the trunk, and we walked into the bar to meet up with the rest of our group who had already been seated at a table. They waved at us to get our attention as we walked in. It turns out that every Friday night was open mic night for college students, and there was no liquor served during that time. I did notice, however, that a few members of our group brought their own which they mixed with their soft drinks. I didn't drink, so I passed and Chris followed suit._

_We sat around the table, talking and laughing. I was having a good time. I looked around the room and found that there was standing room only. I turned to Chris and said, "Wow, that was quick. Ten minutes ago, there was hardly anyone here but us, and now it's packed."_

_"I know. It's always like this on Friday nights," he replied._

_"Are you nervous?" I asked him._

_"No, I rarely get nervous anymore. Do you sing, Bella?" he asked me._

_"A little, but mostly in the shower," I said jokingly._

_"Would you like to sing a duet with me?" he asked, practically knocking me out of my seat._

_"Um, I don't think so…we haven't even rehearsed!" I said nervously._

_"Calm down, Bella. I was only half-serious. I'll let you off the hook this time, but next time we sing together," he said, pointing his finger at me._

_"We'll see," I said just to pacify him._

_Chris excused himself to go warm up, and I wished him luck. Sandy, who I knew from my Statistics study group, leaned over to me and said, "Hey Bella, you sure you don't want a drink?"_

_I replied, "No, I'm okay."_

_She rephrased her question in the form of a statement. "Bella, you might want to have a drink."_

_I replied again, "Sandy, I'm okay. I don't want a drink." trying not to sound annoyed, which I was becoming._

_She leaned closer and said finally, "Bella, you're going to need a drink for this!"_

_"Why?" I asked, annoyed at this point._

_"Because, Chris sings like a wounded moose," she said. "We come to support him because he's our friend, but after the first time, we learned to come prepared. A few drinks make anyone sound good," she said._

_"Is he that bad?" I asked, feeling so bad for him._

_She replied, "No, he plays the guitar beautifully, but when he opens his mouth to sing, it shoots his guitar playing straight to hell."_

_"Why haven't any of you told him the truth? I know it'd be hard, but it's better than letting him embarrass himself," I said, questioning their friendship._

_"We tried," she replied. "But he's overly and unsubstantially confident. He really believes he can sing!"_

_"Wow! He asked me to sing with him next time," I said._

_Sandy replied, "Whatever you do…don't!"_

_Just then, the Emcee started the show. First up was a girl I'd seen around campus. She always looked like she was on an LSD trip or something. I was surprised when the Emcee introduced her as Audrey Sharpton. I would have thought her name was something like Moon Beam or Flower Child. Surprisingly, when she opened her mouth, the most beautiful voice came out. I certainly didn't expect that._

_Chris was up next, and I could see what Sandy meant—the way he walked on stage with such confidence. He sat down on a stool, placed his guitar on his lap, and greeted the audience like he'd been doing this all his life… such stage presence! Chris played the long introduction of the song with such dexterity, and he did play beautifully. Anyone who played that well, I thought, had to at least be able to carry a tune. I hoped, for his sake, that Sandy was exaggerating, but I shortly realized that all hope was lost._

_When he started to sing, my jaw dropped to the floor, and I clutched the seat of my chair so as not to fall off. I was totally dumbfounded. I couldn't even tell you the song he was singing because my musical sense went flying out the window, but I can tell you he hit notes that I didn't know existed._

_I looked over at Charlotte, who seemed to be enjoying it, smiling and bobbing her head to the music. I wondered which one of us had the hearing problem…that is until I realized that she was bobbing to a completely different tempo. As I looked closer, I noticed that she had ear buds in her ears with the wiring going down her back. They came prepared all right…with massive amounts of alcohol, iPods and I think I saw Wayne putting plugs in his ears. I started to regret refusing that drink._

_When Chris finished, the crowd stood and applauded, mainly because he had finished. When he came back to the table, everyone gave him hugs and compliments. I had to think fast for something to say that would circumvent him asking my opinion of his performance._

_"Chris, you are so talented and you play beautifully!" I said, hoping that did the trick._

_"Thank you," he replied with a smile as big as Texas._

_Somebody really needs to tell this guy that his singing sucks, but with the confidence he had on stage, he wouldn't believe it anyway. He'd probably be the one to get a major record deal._

_"They still have a few slots open, you sure you don't want to sing a song with me?" he asked excitedly._

_"No, we haven't rehearsed. Plus, I wouldn't do you justice," I replied to get him off my back._

_I was actually a pretty good singer. I sang in the choir at church and in an ensemble on campus, but I wasn't going to tell him that._

_The show lasted about two hours, and the rest of the acts were really good. We really had a good time after Chris's performance. He was a funny guy and the life of the party. He had us all in stitches until he started to criticize the other acts. What's that saying… the pot calling the kettle black?_

_We got back to my dorm at about 11:00. He walked me to my door, and as I turned to put the key in the lock, he broke out in a rendition of the "Good Night Song". I closed my eyes really tight in hopes that it would also shut off my hearing. I slowly turned the key so I wouldn't have to look at him before he finished._

_Just then, the door swung open, and Jake yelled, "What the hell…"_

_Before he could get the rest of his question out, I gave him the stink eye._

_"Hey Bells," he said._

_"Hey Jake, what are you doing here?" I asked him, glad that he caught on._

_"I just dropped by. Alice and I were about to watch a movie when we heard that um...singing," he said._

_"Chris, this is my friend, Jake. Jake, this is Chris," I said very quickly. I was trying to boot him out, but I didn't want to be rude. "Chris performed at open mic tonight. It was a great show!"_

_Chris added, "Yeah, I told Bella that she has to sing with me next time."_

_"Bella sing? Good luck with that," Jake replied, walking back inside._

_I looked at him, wondering what the hell he meant by that. He's never even heard me sing, but I would address that later. My main concern right now was getting rid of the wedding singer. I walked inside and turned to face him._

_"Thank you, Chris, I had a great time," I said._

_"Me too," he replied._

_We stood there for an awkward few minutes when I just said, "Well goodnight…I guess I'll see you in class." I said, as I started to close the door._

_He moved his hand to stop it from closing and asked," Bella, can I call you sometime?"_

_Before I could think of an excuse, my mouth betrayed me and said, "Sure, you have my number."_

_I really have to learn to think fast on my feet. Well, I did have fun with him, when he wasn't singing. I guess I could do it again. We said our goodbyes, and I waited until he got on the elevator, before I closed the door and walked into the living room. I looked at Alice and Jake who looked as if they were about to burst. As if waiting for permission, I said, "okay" and they both let it out at the same time. They were laughing so hard that they were in tears. It was contagious because I found myself cracking up with them. Jake managed to get out through his laughter, "I heard that horrible noise outside the door, and I thought, what the hell is that, some kind of animal? Then I open the door and find you crossing your eyes. That shit was funny! Did he sound like that at open mic?"_

_I looked at him with raised eyebrows and a grimace saying, "Worse." They were both rolling on the floor now in gut-busting laughter._

_"How did you stand it?" Alice managed to get out through her laughter._

_"It wasn't easy," I replied. "The others knew what to expect so they were prepared. I, on the other hand, had to grin and bear it. Well, at least I can say that my first date was eventful," I said._

_"Date?" Jake exclaimed. "You were on a date with that clown?"_

_"Yes," I said. "He asked me out, picked me up, paid for everything, and walked me to my door. I'd say that would classify as a date. Wouldn't you?" I asked in a sarcastic tone._

_"I guess so," he replied solemnly._

_"What are you doing here anyway? I thought you had a date tonight," I said._

_"I did, but it ended early, so I came to hang out with you. I thought we'd watch a movie, but I wasn't expecting a concert. Was he serenading you?" he asked._

_"I guess, if you could call it that," I said_

_"Yeah, I leave you alone for one night and the wolves descend—and I mean howling wolves," he chuckled._

_"Ha ha, very funny. I'm sort of glad that you opened the door when you did. I was hoping he wasn't expecting a good night kiss," I said._

_"Yeah, it is a good thing," said Alice. "He probably would have broken out with 'This Kiss This Kiss, It's Criminal'." She laughed as she sang the lyrics to Faith Hill's song._

_"Okay, okay, enough of the Chris jokes. What movie did you guys watch?" I asked, sitting down next to Jake, who was staring at me with an expression that I couldn't quite put my finger on._

_"Are you alright?" I asked him._

_"I'm fine. You just look …different."_

_"Different? In what way?" I asked, confused._

_"Different in a good way. You look very pretty," he said._

_I was probably going to have my jaw wired because that was the second time tonight that it had fallen to the floor._

_"I'm going to get a snack, do you want anything?" he asked as he went into the kitchen._

_"No thanks," I said, taking advantage of his absence to stretch my legs out the length of the sofa._

_Alice, still on the floor from rolling around earlier, sat up with her back against the sofa. When Jake came back, he lifted my legs, sat down and placed them on his lap. This, although not very intimate, was the closest that Jake and I had ever been. Sure we hugged and played around as friends, but this felt different. I tried not to make it obvious, but my breathing sped up. I avoided looking at him, but I would catch him staring at me in my peripheral vision. I was feeling things that confused me, but I didn't know how, or if, I should react to them, so I just laid there. As the movie progressed and my eyelids started to get heavy, I curled into a ball, my usual sleeping position, and fell asleep._

_When I woke up, Jake and I were still on the sofa. He was lying behind me with his arm draped over me. As I laid there trying to figure out how we got in this position, I felt something hard pressing against my butt. When I realized what it was, my first instinct was to jump up, but thank God I had the wherewithal to keep calm and slither out from under his arm without waking him. I didn't want to be embarrassed nor did I want things to start feeling weird between us. I stood up and realized that he was still sound asleep._

_Alice must have gotten up and gone to bed, but I wondered if she saw how Jake and I slept last night. I could just picture her with this huge grin on her face as she woke up and saw us lying there together. In fact, she probably would have positioned us that way and taken a picture if she thought she could get away with it without waking us. She's always felt that Jake and I should be together. All I knew is that I was confused, but I would never let him know. That was the night that things changed between Jacob and me._

* * *

Anyway, I'll have to discuss today's events with Rose when we get together Saturday night. She Leah, Alice and I made plans to go to a Karaoke bar. That's where Leah went the night before the killer class, and she said that it was so much fun. Maybe she'll give us the 411 on Mr. Good- Looking.

**_Rose's POV_**

My morning didn't go as planned. First of all, my alarm didn't go off, or at least I didn't hear it because the volume was turned down low. How that happened, I don't know, but it made me late for work. And if I weren't late enough, my car was on "E" and I had to stop and get gas. My father always told me, "Never let my car go below half a tank. You never know when an emergency might happen." Well, he was right.

I have an appointment with a new client; a young man whose parents are going through a rough divorce that he is having a hard time accepting. As I stand up from my desk to grab his file, I hit my leg on the drawer of the file cabinet, which I forgot to close. "Another ten bucks down the drain," I think as I look down at my pinstriped pantyhose. I think they design them to run after only one wear.

I go to the waiting room to escort the young man and his parents into my office, but I'm greeted with mixed responses. The father stands to shake my hand and introduces himself. He doesn't appear to be affected by their circumstances. In fact, he looks like he wants to yell for the world to hear, 'I'm free!' The mother, conversely, looks at me like I'm her worst enemy. I could tell immediately who initiated this divorce. Her behavior is not uncommon, however. Until she comes to terms with the divorce, every woman, especially attractive women that she and her husband come in contact with, will get the cold shoulder from her. I'll just have to deal with her attitude until it becomes clear to her that their son is my primary concern, which usually takes a few sessions. I have to give her credit for putting her son's best interest ahead of the issues between herself and her ex-husband. It's got to be difficult, especially when she is obviously taking it much harder than he.

We finish our session, and as I walk back into my office, Lillian, our Office Assistant, buzzes me, letting me know that I have a call.

"Ms. Hale, Craig is on line one," she says, "and if he looks as good as he sounds …Watch out! I might just steal him from you!" she says with a chuckle.

I met Craig a few months ago while volunteering at a youth conference. Since then, he's asked me out a few times, but I am always so busy. I finally gave in and accepted last week, and we've spoken every day since. He seems to be a very nice guy, and we have quite a bit in common, like the fact that we both work with youth groups and we work in similar fields. He is a high school counselor.

We talked on the phone for an hour last night, and he told me that he'd call me this morning to finalize the plans of our date. OMG, could it be that I'm going on a date and will actually enjoy myself? I think facetiously.

"Thanks, Lillian," I say as we both laugh and she hangs up the line.

Lillian is like a mother figure to me, since my real mother is so far away. I know that she has my back, and she always encourages me to go out and meet people. In fact, she introduced me to her neighbor's cousin's friend. I agreed only because I didn't want to hurt her feelings, but I'm not even going to tell you about that fiasco. She always says, "You're too pretty to be alone." And my response is, "Does that mean that ugly people deserve to be alone?" I know that the initial attraction is usually physical, but once you get past that, there's got to be something of substance to keep it going. The way I figure it, if Flavor Flav can get a woman to love him, then there's somebody out there for everybody.

"Hi Craig, How are you?"

"Rosalie, I need to talk to you about our date," he said, ignoring my question.

"O...kay," I say encouraging him to continue. I notice that there is a difference in his voice from the last time we talked.

"Well, unfortunately I'm going to have to cancel…My wife…"

"Excuse me!" I interjected before he could finish his sentence "Your what?"

"My wife, Rose. We've been separated for a year now," he said. "We spoke last night and have decided to try and make our marriage work. I'm sorry," he said.

"Craig," I say in the calmest voice I can muster," I've known you for a few months now and during that time, how many times have you asked me out?"

"I don't know, maybe five or six times," he replies.

I continue with sarcasm, "And while you were asking me out, it never dawned on you to mention the minor detail of a wife?"

"We were separated, Rosalie. I didn't feel the need to tell you," he said, a little too casually for my liking—dumb ass!

I surprisingly maintained my cool and continued, "You say that you've decided to try and make your marriage work? Was this decision a result of one conversation that you two had last night?"

"Well, we've been talking about it for a while now, but the decision to try again was made last night."

"Okay," I replied. "So you were pursuing me all the while you and your wife were contemplating reconciliation?"

"Yea, but it's not like that, baby. You make me sound like a dog," he replied.

"Baby?" I ask in total disbelief that he uses that term with me, and I just lose it, "What the fuck is wrong with you? You don't have the right to call me baby, you worthless, conniving, self-centered prick. You are a waste of a human life…going around playing games with people's feelings. It's a good thing for you, that this shit ended before it had the chance to begin, because you have no idea what I'm capable of. I feel sorry for your wife. She's probably telling her friends how much she loves you and how the two of you have rediscovered each other, while you're out here discovering something all right. Who the hell do you think you are—Columbus? And to think that parents put their trust in you to teach their children values. How can you teach someone values when you don't have any your damn self!? I hope, for your wife's sake, that you try really hard to make your marriage work because apparently she's made the mistake of loving you. But if you so much as think about dialing my number again, I will break your motherfucking fingers…and believe me I can do it! In fact, I should send somebody over there right now to kick your ass for making me lose my composure because I'm a damn lady and ladies only act this way when assholes like you force us to. Now get the hell off my damn phone you piece of shit!" I yelled, slamming down the phone. I Was Hot!

I straighten my desk and gather my things. Today has been a day from hell, starting with me being late for work, almost running out of gas, dealing with the couple from hell, and now dealing with this asshole. It doesn't totally diminish how pissed off I am at him, but I am glad this all came to a head before I invested any real time and emotion in him. I'm also a little pissed at myself for not seeing the jerk for who he really is. I need to blow off some steam, and I know just how I'm going to do it. I have my aerobics class tonight, and I'm going to work my ass off, literally.

I decide to change in my office so I won't have to talk to anyone when I get to the gym. I don't want my bad mood to rub off on anyone, and I don't feel like answering any questions. I am glad I did because with traffic, I make it just in time for class. I walk in the room without saying a word, go directly to the music cabinet and connect my iPod, put on my headset and microphone and am ready to go. I face the class and say, "Let's get started." They can tell that something is wrong, but I don't feel like pretending that everything is okay. I'll shake it off later, but for now, I'll use it to my advantage. I always have an intense workout when I'm in a mood like this, and since I don't have an alternative stress reliever available to me at the moment, it will have to do.

The music starts, and my body automatically begins to move. I do not stop until the playlist ends. With every song, I give it everything I have—every punch, kick and crunch is exaggerated. I want to cleanse my body of the effects of this day and to feel the stress melt away. It's just me and the music. I am so engrossed in it that I don't notice anyone. Well, that is until I hear somebody yell "You go girl!" I look in the direction of where the voice comes from to find Alice. I tell you, the woman is not human! She is strong, fast, a little on the pale side…kind of reminds me of a vampire. Whatever she is, the little woman gives me a run for my money—she is really good! When the class ends, I look around to find people staring at me. With a shrug of my shoulders, I say, "What?" They just ignore me and walk out. I start to feel bad. Was I that rough on them? Well they came here for a workout, and that's what they got, and I'm not going to apologize for it.

I walk back to the music cabinet to lock up the equipment when I feel the presence of someone behind me. I don't feel like talking, so I ignore them, hoping they'll just go away. I then feel the person getting a little too close for comfort. Just when I ball my fist to punch, I hear a voice in my ear saying, "If I wanted my ass kicked, I would have gotten in the ring with Tyson." I'd know that voice anywhere. I turn around to see my best friend. I relax my hand and instead of the punch I almost give him, I slap his arm as I squeal out his name, "Dec!" He gives me a bear hug, lifting me up off the floor, which isn't easy to do. When he puts me down, what he said registered. I guess I was rough on them.

"What are you doing here? It's so good to see you," I add before giving him a chance to answer the question.

"I haven't seen my best friend in a while. I had a cancellation, so I decided to come by and see you. Thanks to you, I keep my workout bag in the trunk, so I got here in time for your class. But now, I don't think it was such a good idea," he says with a grimace.

"What do you mean it wasn't a good idea?" I ask.

"Hell, woman you almost killed me!" he replies.

"Dec, I'm sorry. I was pissed off about something, and you know how I am when I'm stressed—and this is my only outlet," I say.

"What's got you so upset, Rosebud? You want to talk about it?" he asks.

Just hearing him call me Rosebud brings tears to my eyes. Other than my late father, and my brother who lives out of state, Dec is one of the few men in my life who I can totally be myself with—let down my defenses with. He knows me and accepts me the way I am. He looks at me and sighs when he sees that I was getting all weepy and gives me a hug.

"Let's get out of these wet clothes and go someplace to talk," he says.

"I can't. I got dressed at work and didn't bring extra clothes," I reply.

"Well, I'm not going to be responsible for you getting sick. Why don't you go home, and I'll pick up some dinner and bring it to your house," he says.

"That sounds great, Dec. I want to get out of here before people start asking questions. I don't feel like talking to anyone tonight," I say.

He replies, "Don't worry, Rosebud. Nobody in your class has enough energy left to say anything."

"Very funny. I'll see you at the house," I say as I walk away. When I reach the door, I turn and say, "Oh and Dec…Thank you." He just nods while giving me that crooked smile and shoos me away.


	3. Chapter 3: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

A/N: For those of you who are following my story, thank you, and I apologize for the wait. I was introduced to Project Team Beta, a group of wonderful and dedicated people who edit stories. Thanks to SexyLexiCullen for introducing me to them, and a great big thanks to Trilby 97 and BelleDean for editing this chapter. If you find errors, I assure you it's because of an oversight on my part.

The Spa

Chapter 3: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

I rush home anxious to get out of my wet clothes. I manage to escape without having to talk to anyone, although I feel bad for leaving without speaking to Bella and Alice. I know they're wondering what's going on, but I just don't feel like rehashing today's events…maybe later. Hmm? Come to think of it, I didn't see Leah in class. I wonder what happened to her.

Dec is going to bring dinner over so that we can talk. I haven't seen him in a few weeks, so I'm excited to spend some time with him. I know that he's curious about what upset me to the point of committing murder. Frankly, it will be good to get it off my chest—although one might think I got it off my chest when I let the asshole have it.

I have a short list of people who I can use as a sounding board. I have my sister, who is wonderful, but she's got a husband and two kids to deal with. I don't want her to feel as though she has three, so I try not to burden her so much. Dec is high up on that list, but I hope we can just spend some time catching up, rather than talking about what happened today. Spending time with him usually lifts my spirits.

My sister, Yana, is three years older and has been not only my sister, but also my best friend since we were kids. She went to California to go to college and decided to stay after graduation. I followed her at my first opportunity and did the same. Although I love my family back in Atlanta, it just wasn't the same without my Ya Ya—I've called her that since we were little. Besides her, Dec is the only person who I'd share what happened today and how foolish I feel. The moment I hung up the phone, I felt guilty for talking to Craig the way I did. Don't get me wrong, homeboy deserved a hurtin', but my delivery was a little on the harsh side.

At one time, the old Rose cursed like a sailor, but when my niece and nephew were born, I thought it would be best to curtail my use of profanity—and I'm sure that Yana and Richard agreed with me. I had a vision of my precious little niece walking over to me with her adorable little princess costume on, complete with the little high heel slippers and tiara saying,

"Auntie Wose, will you pwease get this damn knot out of my fucking belt?"

That did it! That vision of my little pouty, potty-mouthed niece would never come to fruition, if I had anything to do with it. Auntie Wose was turning a new leaf. I don't claim to be perfect as I proved today—I do have my slip ups from time to time. It was during one of those times that the kids decided they'd help their yuk-mouth aunt by charging me a buck per curse word…hence the term "yuk -bucks". Needless to say, I stopped that, real quick, especially in front of them.

I quickly shower and change into a pair of comfortable sweats and a T-shirt. I have a no-alcohol rule during the week, unless I don't have to work the next day, because the effects seem to stay with me longer than with most. It would be kind of rude of me to doze off on a patient during a session—some of which could put an insomniac to sleep—so I do everything I can to stay alert.

So, I put a few bottles of water in the freezer to cool before Dec arrives. One of the few things that we disagree about is that he likes his water ice cold and I like mine at room temperature. I hear my phone and find that I've gotten a text letting me know that he is on his way. I send a quick response, telling him to let himself in. We have a set of each other's house keys for emergencies, but would never use them without calling first.

I go back upstairs to tame my mane, which is no easy feat. My hair is a little past shoulder length and is very thick and hard to deal with...I'm no Madam C. J. Walker. That's why I leave that task to Antonio, my hairdresser, or hair designer as he calls himself, who I see once a week. It's really a waste of money because after two days, I'm back where I started from, but at least for those two days, my hair looks _feeierce!_—as Antonio says with a snap of his finger.

It's just a known fact that sweat and black hair don't mix. I should just wear dreads or braids and call it a day, but at least Antonio gives me a good conditioning every week, which prevents the heat from damaging it so much. I usually just blow it dry and put it in a bun between appointments, but tonight, I just blow it dry and leave it wild.

Once I'm all dry and comfortable, I go downstairs to find Dec taking the food out of the bag. He is such a great guy. Whoever is fortunate enough to snag him will have two jewels—him, and the big rock he'll put on her finger—but he'll be, by far, the more valuable. He had gone to our favorite Chinese restaurant and gotten my favorites.

I walk into the kitchen and say excitedly, "You got Plum Tree! You are such a wonderful friend."

He turns to look at me with wide eyes and says," What's up, Mufasa?"

I give him my 'oh no you didn't' look—the one with eyebrows raised, head tilted, and eyes glaring like they could kill. Is this going to be my second _attempted murder_ today?

To that, he says,"Oh shit, I know I'm in trouble when you give me that look."

"Yeah, you are," I reply. "No hatin' on the hair, Pumbaa".

My feigned anger instantly vanishing when I see all the goodies he brought. Hot braised shrimp, black pepper chicken, sautéed spinach, soft noodles with chicken and beef and shrimp, Oh my!

"You shouldn't have…but I'm glad you did!" I say, as I fix my plate and walk into the living room.

"What happened to Southern Hospitality?" he asks, when he realizes that I've left him to his own devices.

"First of all, this ain't the south, and secondly, hospitality went out the door with that Mufasa crack," I reply, looking back at him to find a look of disbelief on his face.

"You're really not going to fix my plate?" he asks.

"You got it, Sherlock!" I reply, chuckling at his expression. "Umm...It's so tasty too!" I tease, in my best Lucy Ricardo imitation.

I laugh as he still stands there in shock. That'll teach him not to talk about the fro.

"Oh, get over it, you big baby! Bring your food in here, it's more comfortable," I say to him as he juggles his plate, water, and utensils. He knows how I am about stains on my sofa—if you spill, it's your bill. I think he's purposely trying to make me nervous to get back at me.

As we sit in my living room, we eat, talk, laugh, and eat some more, making up for lost time. We talk about everything, work, family, and finally he asks the question that changes the tone of the conversation.

"So, Rosebud, what upset you so much this afternoon? I swear woman, you almost killed me!" he says, while getting up for a second helping.

"Dec, I feel horrible about what happened today. I let my emotions get the best of me," I say, while picking at my food with my chopsticks.

He looks at me and I can tell that all humor is gone and what is left is my compassionate friend. "What happened?" he asks, as he sits next to me.

I turn to face him, and begin to spill my guts, "Well, I met a guy, Craig, at one of the youth conferences where I volunteer. He's a mentor to some of the boys at the Boys Club. Well anyway, he's been asking me out for a while and I would always find an excuse not to go. But at the last conference, we got to know each other a little bit, and I figured, why not? So, I agreed to go out with him. We've been speaking on the phone every day for the past week and had arranged to finally go out. He was supposed to call me today, so that we could finalize our plans, but we never had that conversation. Instead he called to cancel our date because, get this, he and his wife decided to try and make their marriage work.

"First of all, Dec, he never told me that he was married, and secondly, he must think I'm a fool, if he thinks I believe they _just _decided to get back together. Think about it—last night, we were planning a date, and less than twelve hours later, he's getting back together with his wife? I don't think so! He was playing his wife and me at the same time!

"I think what bothers me the most is that he's an asshole and I didn't see it. You know that saying, 'If it smells like shit, then it's shit'—I didn't even smell him coming. Dec, how could he pursue me when he has a wife? That's just downright wrong. And his poor wife! He's a…I've run out of names to call him!"

"What do you mean, you've run out names to call him?" he replies anxiously, like a little boy, waiting for the good part of the story.

"Dec, don't tell the kids, but I had a relapse—big time."

"What did you call him, Rosebud?" he asks with a smirk.

"Well, let's just say that if the kids knew of the words I used today, I'd owe them enough yuk- bucks to put them through college," I say, as I bow my head in shame.

"No", he says chuckling, "You have to tell me what you said word for word."

"Okay, Whoopie Goldberg, I'll tell you what I said, _word for word._" I chuckle quoting the line from _Ghost_.

I proceed to tell him what I said to Craig. It's as if I have instant replay programmed in my head because it just rolls off my tongue. At this point Dec is bent over in laughter.

"You threatened to put a hit out on him? Come on, Al Capone, people take that stuff seriously these days," he says.

"Out of all that I just told you, that's what stands out?" I asked, disappointed at his listening skills.

"Well I don't want my Rosebud going to the slammer. You wouldn't make it a day on the inside. Anyway, just out of curiosity, who would you have gotten to knock him off?" he asks in his Godfather-ish voice.

"Why, you, Guido! I figured that you and some of your doctor friends could do a job on him. Nobody knows more about breaking bones than doctors," I say facetiously.

"Next time, Rosebud, don't threaten him, we'll just kick his ass. He'll never know what… or who hit him," he says as we both laugh. He always has a way of bringing humor to a serious moment.

"Seriously, Rosebud, don't blame yourself for not seeing him for the jerk that he is. Contrary to what you'd like people to believe, you usually see the good in people. You saw him doing good things for the kids, and assumed that he was a good and kind person. He's probably had a lot of practice hiding his true colors. Hell, he even managed to hide them from his wife!

"Just consider it a blessing that you saw them before you invested more time and energy in him. As my mama would say, 'he's not worth the salt that goes in his bread'. Consider it his loss and your gain and move on with the satisfaction of knowing he didn't take advantage of you."

"I know you're right, Dec, but it's not that easy. You know that I haven't dated in a while. That's because I'm tired of the bullshit. I just figured that I'd put that part of my life on hold and when it was time, it would just happen. I finally let down my guard because I thought this could be different, but it turned out to be another disappointment.

"I help people sort through their problems every day, why can't I figure out my own? I don't know, Dec, sometimes I just want to say, to hell with it...maybe I'm meant to be alone, but a part of me wants to be in a loving, caring relationship. It's the part that knows when I meet the right man, he'll have my whole heart—and I want his in return, but I'm starting to doubt that it will ever happen."

Dec sighs as he says so lovingly, "Rosebud, hold on to that. Your Mr. Right is out there and I believe you'll find him." He reaches and catches the tip of my chin with his thumb and index finger; trying to get me to look at him, but I keep looking away, trying to hide the tears that are about to fall. Finally he says, "Rosebud, look at me. You are my best friend, you know that, right?"

I just nod because speaking is impossible at this point.

"You are a jewel and the man who finds you will treasure you," he says.

…And what did he say that for? The water works really begin and there's no use trying to hide it.

He continues, "When I met Kate, I knew right away that we had something special. When we got married, we were so young, but I was blessed to find someone who shared the same vision of what I wanted in life. She was the love of my life and we were really happy, but having had the opportunity to experience life more, there are some things that I would have done differently.

"As we get older, we find value in things that we didn't when we were younger. Maybe there's a reason why you haven't found the man of your dreams yet. If you had given your heart to someone when you were younger, maybe he wouldn't have been mature enough to truly understand and appreciate your worth. I know you, Rosebud. You have so much to offer and it would be a tragedy for you to just give up—I won't let you give up, just like you didn't let me give up. I owe you at least that."

"Dec, you don't owe me anything but your friendship…and I consider that a gift. Times like this, really confirm that for me."

"For me too, Rosebud, and when Mr. Right does come along, he better understand that I'm here to stay. We're permanent fixtures in each other's lives, right?" he asks, putting his arm around my shoulder tousling my already wild hair.

"Oh, Dec, you know I love you more than my luggage," I say jokingly, quoting a line from "Steel Magnolias". "But seriously, I'm glad we're on the same page with that. Whoever you're with, she better chill out about our friendship, because if she trips, I will cut her!

"Yeah, right, Rosebud. How are you going to cut somebody…you can't even cut up a chicken," he says chuckling.

"That's why I buy chicken parts, but I'll learn real quick if I have to."

"There's no need for bloodshed because I'll make it very clear that we are joined at the hip…so to speak."

"I'm not going to tell you about the visual I just got of us being joined at the hip," I say, cringing at that thought.

"Don't." Is his reply.

"Dec, speaking of being joined, what about you? Have you thought about maybe, getting back on the horse?" I ask reluctantly.

"Rosebud, right now, I have so many things going on in my life. I have work, the kids, along with my work with the foundation, but the first two, alone, are enough to keep me busy. I don't have time for much else right now. I've been invited to dinner a few times, but nothing has come of it," he says.

"Hold the phone Mr. Smooth Operator, did you say that you've gone to dinner a few times? Now you've got to give me the 411 on who drop kicked who!" I say excitedly.

"What?" Is all he manages to say, his confused expression telling me that he has no clue of what I just said.

"Oh, come on! Aretha Franklin…_Jump To It_? Anyway, in other words, you've got to give me details, information…you know, the 411?" I say, trying to bring him up to date.

"Oh! A few of my colleagues have invited me to dinner. I've accepted, and had a good time, but nothing has come of it," he says nonchalantly.

"A few of your colleagues? Just for clarification, are these colleagues women?" I ask.

Getting information out of this man is like pulling teeth!

"Yes, Rosebud, they are women, but as I said, nothing has come of it," he replies.

Dec knows that when he's vague like this, I lose patience. When I'm away from the office, I don't feel like probing to get to the bottom of anything. It's like a hair stylist who doesn't do her own hair, or a janitor who doesn't clean his own house. I decide to leave it alone…for now.

"Hey! Somebody's got a birthday coming up. Any plans for the big day?" I ask, changing the subject.

"I think the kids are planning something, but I'm guessing it's supposed to be a surprise. I've caught them whispering several times, but they always stop when I walk in the room.

_Hmm, note to self: Call the kids and find out what's up with dad's b' day. Maybe I can help._

"I haven't really had time to think about it because I've got a few projects going on, which is one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you. Mom and Pop will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and my brother and I want to put on a little celebration—just friends and family, and I was wondering if I could hire you as our party planner," he explains.

"You know I'd do anything for your parents, but are you sure you don't want to hire a professional event planner?" I ask.

"Oh, excuse me, I mean event planner. No, I've seen your work and it's as good as any professional," he replies.

"Wow, I'm flattered. Sure, I'll do whatever you need, but you don't have to hire me. What do you guys have in mind?" I ask.

"Just a small intimate gathering, but I think that we should get together to brainstorm. Bear will be here in two weeks and I figured that we could all get together then."

"You know, I've always wondered—why do you all call him Bear?" I ask, pondering why I never asked before.

"Emmett is a big guy and when the kids were little, he'd carry them around the house on his back. Emily referred to him as her big teddy bear and it kind of stuck. He's been 'Bear' ever since, but it pisses him off when we call him that in mixed company."

"Well, I'm family, so Bear it is," I say.

"I'd also like to take him out somewhere fun while he's here. You think you could free some time to come along? He's the only member of the family that you haven't met," he says, while getting up taking our plates to the kitchen.

"And how crazy is that? I've known you for ten years, have practically adopted your family, but have never met your brother," I say, realizing how strange that is.

"I know! But he only visits every few years, and it seems that every time he's been here, you've been out of town. Well, you'll finally get to meet my crazy big brother. You think you'll be able to make it?" he asks, while putting the paper plates in the trash.

"I'd love to! In fact, I've wanted to talk to you, but things have been so hectic. I've been spending a lot of time with three ladies that I met at the gym. They've kind of adopted me as their sister. They're really good people and I'd like you to meet them. Maybe we can plan something for us all to get together when Bear comes to town."

"That sounds good. Just tell me when and where and we'll be there," he says.

"Okay, how about Saturday, after next?" I ask, as I put away the left overs.

"That will be fine because after tomorrow, I've cleared my Saturdays for the next month."

"I'll check with Bella, Alice and Leah to make sure that it's ok for them too. Hey, to make it even, do you have another friend you can invite?"

"Don't you mean two friends? With the four of you, Bear and I, we'd need two more guys to make it even."

"Alice will bring her husband, Jasper. I tell you, they can't get enough of each other. I think they're joined at the-"

Dec stops me before I can get the rest of my sentence out, "Ah ah ah, that's bordering on TMI—I hope they can control themselves for one night. I'll invite Sam to come along. He's one of Bear's best friends and he's always around when he's in town," he says.

"Why does his name have to be Sam? Just the mere mention of it gives me the chills," I say, shivering.

"When you meet _this_ Sam, you'll have a new found respect for the name. He's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet—besides the Cullen men that is," he says, with feigned arrogance.

"Well, that's a given," I say in agreement.

It's true that the Cullens, be it man or woman, are the nicest people that I've ever met. I'm sure that Bear won't disappoint.

"I'd better get going. I have to drop Emily off at the animal shelter before I head to work in the morning," he says.

"What's happening at the animal shelter?"

"She's volunteering at the animal shelter this year," he replies.

_Somebody else mentioned volunteering at an animal shelter—who was that? Oh, it'll come to me._

"Thanks so much Dec for your shoulder, for dinner, for everything."

"No problem, Muf. I'll see you in the circle of life," he says as he hugs me, shaking with laughter.

"Watch It, Pumb, or it will be the circle of death," I say, glaring at him as I pull away. "Give Emily and Lyle a kiss from Auntie Rosebud, and you drive safely."

"I will. Talk to you soon, and I'll see you in a couple of weeks," he says as he gets into his car and drives off.

As usual, he makes me feel so much better. As I walk back into the house, I think, maybe I owe my class an apology for the abuse I gave them today.

I walk into the kitchen to make sure that everything is put away, and I think, I should have packed the leftovers for Dec to have for lunch tomorrow. Sometimes he gets so busy at the hospital, that he doesn't take the time to eat.

Realizing that I'm not tired, I decide to make myself a cup of tea. I sit on the couch sipping my Mullen Tea with lemon, while the muted television keeps me company. A smile creeps on my face, as I think of my evening with my best friend. His entire family has been a Godsend to me. I reminisce about how Dec and I met, and how far we've come.

* * *

_Dec and I had known each other for ten years. Unfortunately, we met under tragic circumstances. His wife Kate was in a fatal car accident and he and their two children, Lyle and Emily were having a very difficult time dealing with her death. Emily was only six years old and Lyle was eight. Mrs. Mills, the school principal, suggested that they undergo grief counseling to help them come to terms with their loss. I volunteered at the school, providing that type of service, so she recommended me to the father. At our first meeting, the surviving parent is required to be present, after that, it's optional. _

_When the three of them walked into my office, my heart broke—not only for the kids, but more so for him too. I could see that he was a broken man, barely hanging on for the sake of his children. They seemed to manage better than their dad. As we started our sessions, they opened up to me and told me all about their mother and how they felt about losing her. Although it hurt them deeply and they missed her, Emily and Lyle were progressing nicely. They were back at school and interacting with the other kids, which is always a good sign. Kids are so resilient. _

_However, I could see that Dad needed our sessions much more than the kids. He loved Kate so much and losing her hurt him to the core. After about three months, we still had regular sessions where he would just talk about her. It proved to be therapeutic, because he was starting to make progress as well. He was able to talk about her without breaking down. He and the kids, who were staying with his parents after Kate's death, returned to their house, and Dec and his mother sorted through Kate's things and donated most of them to a shelter. He had also returned to work and was very productive there._

_Unfortunately, during that time, I unexpectedly lost my father and I had to go home to Atlanta. I left word with Lillian to contact all my patients and cancel my appointments. When she called Dec, he insisted on having a way to reach me. Lillian called to tell me Dec requested my personal cell number. I thought he was making such progress, but I guess I was too optimistic. Apparently, he relied on our sessions a little too much. Listening to someone else's problems at this time in my life was the last thing I needed, but I told her it was okay to give him my number. _

_When he called, I was totally shocked because he was not calling for himself. He was calling out of concern for me. He asked if there was anything he could do. He told me that if I needed anything, I shouldn't hesitate to call him. He asked for my mother's address and sent an enormous floral arrangement. He also found a local restaurant and sent food to the house so that we wouldn't have to cook. He was wonderful, and he definitely made a fan of my mother. _

_When I returned, we had a few more sessions, but they were more like regular conversations, rather than our counseling sessions. We both knew, first hand, what the other was going though. Daddy and I were very close. We spoke on the phone at least twice a week, and after I showed him how to text, we did that more. I was truly a daddy's girl, and the void was sometimes overwhelming. Dec says that I saved his life, but I disagree. We helped each other through a very difficult time in each other's lives. What started out as a professional relationship transformed into a friendship. A friendship that I don't know what I'd do without. _

_Dec's real name is Edward Cullen. He's actually Doctor Edward Cullen, Dec for short—I have a thing for nicknames. Dec is one of the most kind and generous men that I've ever met—and he is one fine white boy! Everyone that I introduce him to asks me the same question. Why don't you guys date? Well, the answer to that question is simple-I love him too much. He's the best friend that I've ever had, and I would never do anything to jeopardize that. Dating him would not be worth the risk of losing something much greater. _

* * *

As I sit here, I get a warm feeling inside, and it's not from the tea. I'm excited thinking about the weeks to come. I'll get a chance to spend more time with Dec and the family, and he'll get a chance to meet my new friends. I just know they're going to love him.

15

15


	4. Chapter 4: Zumba - Let The Groove Get In

A/N: A huge thank you to Starpower 31/Bella and ElleCC for taking the time to edit this chapter.

The Spa

Chapter Four: Zumba—Let the Grove Get In

We're having a great time at the spa tonight. Rose is in rare form. She introduces a new routine, and I have to laugh at myself because I trip over my own feet at least ten times—I have never been the most graceful person in the world. I'm bad, but Leah is a close second. We spend most of the time laughing at each other. Alice, on the other hand, catches on like she's been doing this for years. It's almost as if she can see the steps before Rose teaches them to us.

The class ends, and Rose tells us that Alisha, the Zumba instructor, is out, and she'll be subbing for her. She asks us to stay for Zumba.

"Rose, I can barely make it through your Low Impact Class, and you're asking me to stay for Zumba? You'll have to carry me out of here," I say.

"Zumba is a completely different class. It's fun and sexy, and you'll get a good work-out without even realizing it. Come on, we'll make a party out of it! I downloaded a new song by Justin Timberlake—'Let the Groove Get In'. It's not your typical Zumba song, but it's funky and it really makes you move," Rose says.

"Ladies, I love you dearly, but my idea of fun that makes me sweat this much," Leah says, pointing to herself, "does not include you all. I'm leaving so that I can have some real fun—and he's waiting for me right now. See you all tomorrow night?" she asks, waiting for confirmation.

"I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it," I say, disappointed.

Placing her hands on her hips, "Why not?" Leah retorts.

"Jake wants to get together to talk."

"Talk about what….the fact that he's a jackass?"

"Calm down, Leah. We need to discuss Alex's senior year. It's a big year for him, and we need to plan it all out," I say sadly.

"Well, that shouldn't take all night. I've been looking forward to this for a while, and you're going! I'll call you around eight. If you haven't left by then, I'm coming to get you, and don't have me pulling you out of a compromising position!" Leah says.

"What's that supposed to mean—compromising position?" I ask.

"It means that Jake relinquished all rights to the goodies when he left, so keep your panties on."

"She's right, Bella. We have to make sure that you don't have any slip-ups, or slip-offs, in this case. If you're not on your way when she calls, we're bringing the party to your house," Alice says.

I can't believe that Leah and Alice are double-teaming me. Alice really surprises me, because she was always Jake's number one fan. Oh my, how things change.

"Are the two of you insinuating that I can't control myself? I'll have you know that my panties are glued on, and he'd have to pry them off with a crowbar. Leah, you should try a little glue yourself," I say.

Leah is my sister and I love her, but she's one of those people who can dish it out, but never gets it back—she can be a little intimidating. Despite my attempt to give her a taste of her own medicine, she waves me off."

Rose is oblivious to our conversation because she's too busy recruiting for her Zumba class.

"Come on, EB, you have to stay," Rose says, pleading with Alice.

Rose came up with "EB", Alice's new nickname. It's short for Energizer Bunny , and it's pronounced "Ebbie". There's no rhyme or reason to Rose's nicknames—they're just what pops into her head at the time. She came up with one for me as well, but I refuse to be called Old Beller. She said that it's from the Disney movie _Old Yeller. _ I told her to go back to the drawing board.

"Sorry, Rose, the boys are with their grandparents tonight. I'm going home to have the kind of fun Leah's havin'. Jazz and I will be jazzin' it up tonight!" she says, doing that shrug thing with her eyebrows.

"Well, damn! Rub it in, why dontcha. Fine! Go on now, go! Walk out the door! Just turn around now 'cause you're not—

"Okay, okay, I'll stay—just don't finish that song," I say, cutting Rose off.

"Thank you, Bella, my true friend. And to my two _faux_ friends, you won't be the only ones having fun tonight. Bella, Zumba and I are about to get our groove on," Rose says, shaking her hips.

"Happy threesome!" Leah yells as she walks out the door, and Alice giggles as she follows behind her.

-88888888-

The Zumba class starts, and there are about twenty people in the room besides Rose and me. Rose introduces herself and tells them that she is subbing for Alisha. I can tell that they are a little disappointed, but at least they stay. Knowing Rose, I'm sure they'll be glad they did.

Rose starts the warm-up, which is pretty much the same as for her regular class, but after the warm-up, she puts on "Let the Groove Get In,_"_ and the class livens up. Rose is right about this song. She starts moving her hips from side to side and then adds her arms and shoulders, and we follow her. She is also right about Zumba being a completely different class. I feel good moving to the music—not clumsy at all. In fact, I feel confident and sexy. The song has a driving beat, and I get lost in it.

"Let the groove get in, ladies, and let go!" she yells in between singing the words of the song. "_Are you comfortable right there right there. Let the groove get in there, there, right there."_

And I do. Before I know it, I'm swaying my hips with my hands above my head, moving to the music. Rose teaches us several dance moves, Salsa, Reggaeton and Mambo. There is also a step where we move our hips while moving around in a circle. I'll have to ask Rose the name of that one because it's so sexy!

In between songs, she'll teach us a move, and then we put it to music. It's the most fun I've had in a long time. When it's over, I'm drenched. Rose has won over the people in the class, because they all approach her afterward. If she starts teaching Zumba, I will definitely be there, and I'm sure they'll be there too.

"Rose, that was amazing! I'm soaking wet, and it didn't feel like I was working out! I can't believe that I did two classes and I'm still standing," I say as we make our way to the locker room.

"See, I told you that you'd forget that you're working out. I love it!"

"Why don't you teach Zumba here?"

"Because Alisha is the Zumba instructor and they only need one. I don't want to step on her toes, but I look forward to her vacations, when I can sub for her."

Alisha is lucky to have Rose as a friend, because based on the reaction of the class, Rose could easily be the new Zumba instructor if she really wanted it. But she would never do that to a friend.

"I'm glad I stayed. Let me know when you teach again and I'll be there."

"I'm glad you stayed too. I appreciate your support, Bella. It means a lot."

"No problem. I've got to run. I have a busy day tomorrow," I say.

"Me, too. Come on, I can't wait to take a hot shower and get into my warm bed."

"Same here." We grab our bags out of our lockers and head for the door.

As we enter the elevator, Rose says nervously, "Bella, I don't mean to get in your business, but I heard Leah and Alice giving you a hard time about your meeting with Jake. Can I offer you a word of advice?"

Surprised that she asked, I reply, "Rose, you know you can—anytime."

She turns to face me with a serious expression, "I know they love you and have your best interest at heart, but the bottom line is, they can't live your life for you. You have to do what's right for you, no matter what any of us think. Trust yourself, Bella. Trust your instincts—they're there for a reason. And if you ever need me, I'm here," she says in such a caring way.

Looking up at her, I suddenly have this strong urge to hug her, but I'm all sweaty. Instead, I say "Thank you, Rose. I appreciate your faith in me."

-88888888-

Later that night, as I'm getting ready for bed, I hear a knock at my door.

"Come in," I yell, over the noise of the blow dryer.

Alex walks in with his eyes downcast, wearing a frown. This is not my happy-go-lucky son. I turn off the blow dryer so that I can talk to him.

"Hey. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. How was class tonight?" he asks, evading what's really on his mind.

I try to lift his spirits a bit. "It was a lot of fun. Can you believe your mother took two classes back to back? And one of them was Zumba!" I say excitedly as I do a little shimmy.

He gives me a little chuckle. "That's great, Mom! I'm so glad that you're doing something that makes you happy."

"Thanks, honey." I pat the bed for him to come and sit beside me. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, Mom. I need to talk to you about dad."

A little nervous, I turn my body to face him. "What about your dad… is he okay?"

"Yeah, Mom, everybody's okay" he motions his hands as if he's telling me to calm down. "But he's a little upset that you haven't gone to the last two team meetings at school."

"What do you mean? You told me that your dad was taking you and that I didn't need to be there."

Holding his head down, he comes clean, "I know, Mom, but I told dad that you had to work, so that he would take me."

"Why did you tell him that? You know that wasn't true, and that I would have been there."

He looks at me and I can tell that he's angry. "I know, but you go all the time. Dad hasn't been to a meeting since the beginning of last year. I know you enjoy going to the spa and I didn't want you miss your class," He pauses and suddenly appears sad again. "But when he dropped me off that night, you had just pulled into the driveway, and he saw you getting out of the car in your workout gear. He made the comment that working out must be more important to you, than going to my meeting. I'm sorry."

It was wrong of Alex to lie to Jake, but I know his intentions were good. Conflicted, I tell him, "It's okay, but you don't have to lie to your dad or keep things from me. Next time, tell me the truth and let me make the decision, okay?"

"Okay. Dad was upset and said that you two needed to have a talk. I think that's what he wants to talk to you about tomorrow. I just wanted to warn you."

I place my hands on the sides of his face and look into his eyes, "Don't you worry about that—you let me handle your dad. What I need for you to do is be honest with us. Will you do that?"

"Yes," he says, looking away from me, "I'm really sorry if I caused a problem between you two."

"It's all right. There's no problem," I say as I lean back, looking at how handsome he's become. I pat his cheeks before I release them.

He stretches and gives me one of his loud yawns, " I'm kind of tired. I'm going to bed."

"All right, honey, good night."

"Good night, Mom."

"Oh! Alex," I say as I get up to hug him, "Thank you for thinking of me. I love you very much."

"I love you too," he says as he walks out and shuts the door.

I sit on my bed, thinking about my baby boy—only he's not a baby anymore. He's growing up, and he proved that a little bit more tonight.

Sometimes we don't realize what our children go through when we're in pain. I know the divorce was rough on him; I just didn't know that he saw what it was doing to me, how much it hurt me. I thought I was hiding it from him, but he saw straight through me. To know that he wants me to be happy—even if it's without his dad—touches my heart.

I start to cry, thinking of him going away to college. For the past two years, he's been the man of the house. I know I can't hold him back, nor do I want to. I want him to live his own life—experience things, grow and be happy. But my heart aches when I think of him leaving.

I think it would be easier if Jake and I were going through this together. Having each other to lean on, and having him to hold me when I'm feeling this way, would comfort me. But I'm alone to deal with this all by myself, and I start to cry harder.

I've had crying fits before, but this is different. It hits me that two of the most important men in my life have either left or will be leaving me. My emotions overtake me, and I sob. This can't be all about Alex leaving. This has to be more than that, because it feels like it's coming from deep within me. I think about Jake and me, and how I never found resolution when our marriage ended. The conversation we had two years ago, when I finally let go—that wasn't what I wanted. But what else can you do when there's nothing left to hold on to?

I don't think I ever allowed myself to really feel, and now it's crashing down on me like an avalanche—the weight of which takes my breath away. I sob for every time I've reached for him, only to feel his side of the bed cold and empty. I sob for every time I've picked up the phone to share news with him and realized I have no one to call, for every Christmas and New Year's spent without him. There's still a huge hole inside me, and I don't know if I will ever be whole again, and it breaks my heart.

I sob into my pillow, not wanting the kids to hear me. They've been hurt enough because of this. I need solace, fortitude, but most of all, I need peace. I slide off my bed onto my knees, and I pray that this burden is lifted from me. I pray for peace.

-88888888-

I wake up to my alarm clock the next morning; I must have cried myself to sleep. I sit up in bed, and see myself in my dresser mirror. My face is blotchy and my eyes are a little swollen; however, I feel better. Today's a new day, and I've got to get up and get it started.

Saturdays are usually busy for me, but this one is chock-full. I drop Tiffany off at the animal shelter, first thing. I tidy up the house, do a couple loads of laundry, give myself a little pamper session—facial, shave my legs, shampoo my hair—and treat myself to a manicure and pedicure. Tiff will be upset to find out that I went to the nail salon without her. Jake says that he'll be here around four, and it's been mandated by two busybodies that I be done with him by eight. It's amazing that I've gotten so much done in such a short time frame.

I'm actually looking forward to meeting Alice, Leah and Rose at the karaoke bar. Leah says that she had so much fun the night she went—the night before Rose tried to kill us is how she refers to it.

Alex will be at home enjoying some time without women in the house, and Tiff will be at a sleepover at Emily's house. When Tiff asked if she could spend the night at Emily's a few nights ago, I was reluctant because I hadn't met her parents. But after a long conversation with her grandmother, I felt comfortable letting her stay. She sounds like such a lovely lady.

Tiff later tells me that Emily's mother passed away some time ago, and her father, a doctor, works most weekends. She spends a lot of time at her grandparent's house when her dad is working. Emily's grandmother offered to pick Tiff up from shelter, but I told her that I will drop her off this evening. This way, I can meet the grandparents in person and see where my daughter will be spending the night. I know I'm overprotective, but I can't help it.

I dress casually in a pair of jeans but dress them up a little with a flowing silk blouse and a pair of peep-toe platforms. Although not where I want to be in terms of my weight, I'm making progress. Alice bought me these jeans and I kept them in hopes of one day being able to fit in them, and that day has finally arrived. So what, I had to lie on the floor to zip them up. I figure it's not important how I did it—but that I did it.

Jake offered to pick Tiff up from the shelter on his way here. I'm sitting on the sofa, waiting for them, when I hear her key in the door.

"Hey, you two," I say when they walk in. "Tiff, how was your first day at the shelter?"

I stand as she makes her way over to give me a kiss—our ritual. I look at over at Jake, whose standing near the door with his hands in his pockets. I wonder if it makes him uncomfortable—it used to be our ritual too.

"It was good until we had to give Felix a bath." We sit down on the sofa and Jake, in the chair across from us.

"Felix?" I ask.

"Yes, Felix is a huge German Shepherd, and it took me and Emily an hour to bathe him. I think we got more soap and water on us than on him." We all laugh as she tells the story of Felix the dog.

"Mom, you look so pretty," she says after we calm down.

Jake looks around the room, as if he's avoiding looking at me.

"Thank you, sweetie. Are you all packed for your sleepover?"

"Yep, all packed," she says.

"Did you remember your tooth brush and underwear for tomorrow?" I remind her.

Rolling her eyes, "Yes, Mom! I've got it all under control."

"Just make sure that you have everything," I say, nudging her "Your dad and I need to talk."

"Is that your way of telling me to get lost?" she asks.

Jake interjects, "Hey, little girl! You heard your mother. Go make sure you haven't forgotten anything. Otherwise, I'll pack for you…and we know you don't want that."

"Yeah, you're right, Dad. I don't want to walk into Emily's house with a grocery bag full of clothes, which is what I'll have if you pack for me," she says jokingly.

"Get up there!" he retorts, pointing in the direction of her room, and giving her his daddy smirk—the one where he tries to look mean, but can't stop smiling. They are so cute together.

"So, Jake, how is everything?" I ask once I hear Tiff busy in her room.

"Good, everything's good. You look great, Bella. Whatever you're doing is really agreeing with you," he says as he gives me a once-over.

"Thank you."

He leans forward in the chair, placing his elbows on his thighs and folding his hands together. "Look, Bella, I want to talk to you about Alex. It's his senior year and he's got a lot going on right now. Coach Riley is having these meetings because he wants to keep us informed of his progress. Coach says that there are scouts interested in Alex, and he has some prospects for scholarships. It's very important that we be there," he sits back in his chair and looks at me sternly, "The bottom line is Alex needs us now, more than ever.

"Yes, Jake, I agree."

"Well, I thought that we'd be going to these meetings together," his demeanor relaxing a bit. "Alex told me that you couldn't make the last one because of work, but when I dropped him off, I saw you getting out of the car—in your workout clothes," he says in a somewhat accusatory tone.

"Okay, Jake. I probably did, and…?" I say, wanting him to just spit it out.

He looks down, squeezing the bridge of his nose, and looks up again. "Bella, we've always put the kids first. This is not the time to start being selfish."

"What are you saying, Jake? Are you saying that I'm being selfish?" I ask, becoming irritated.

"Well, yes, I guess that's what I'm saying. You've started working out, and that's fine, but your first priority, right now, should be the kids. We have to make sure that our son has every opportunity possible. It doesn't look good when we don't show up as a united front."

I'm trying to keep this conversation civil. Tiff is down the hall and doesn't need to hear us arguing, but the man is starting to grate on my nerves. What the hell does he know about a united front—the only front he knows about is the front of a television.

"So, when did you have this revelation?" I ask, snidely.

"What the hell does that mean, Bella?" he snaps.

It takes everything that I have not yell at him—I manage to keep my voice down and continue, tight-lipped, "When did you realize that_ we_ need to support our kids—not just me, but the both of us? Because you certainly didn't realize it when we were married! I've been to countless team meetings, college meetings, parent/teacher conferences, and any other kind of meeting by myself. Where were you then? Where was the united front then? You go to two team meetings out of maybe, twenty, and want to tell me that I'm being selfish?"

Jake gets up from the chair and sits down next to me on the sofa. "Bella, I didn't mean to offend you, all I'm saying is this is a crucial time for Alex. Maybe it's not the best idea to start something that's going to take up so much of your time. Maybe you should wait until after he graduates!"

With my elbow on the arm of the sofa, I rest my head on my hand. After a minute, I'm able to look at him again. "I'm not going to bash you, the way you're trying to bash me. I know that I'm a good mother," I say, pointing to myself, "And I know that I've been there for my kids…"

He interrupts me, "Your kids?"

"Our kids," I I rephrase. "And I'm not about to stop now! My working out takes nothing away from our children. Yes, I enjoy it, but will I let it interfere with my children's welfare? No.

Since it conveniently slips his mind that he's the one who hasn't been there for the kids, I try a little reverse psychology on him. I turn to face him. "You know, Jake, maybe you were on to something when we were married. Maybe it's not necessary for the both of us to attend every meeting. The team meetings, for example, you know the coaches and you're familiar with the scouting process. Maybe you can continue attending those and I will take on something else." I pause a second, waiting for a reaction, but I'm surprised when I don't get one. "As long as one of us is there, it should be fine. If something comes up that requires both of us to be there, we'll address it when the time comes.

"I know the emphasis in on Alex right now, but we can't let Tiff fall through the cracks either. Maybe we can get together next weekend and put together a calendar of all their activities and make a plan. What do you think?" I say, finally taking a breath.

Backing down a little, he says, "Bella, you know that I work long hours and my schedule is not very flexible. I'm not able to plan too far in advance the way you can."

"But, as you said, this is a crucial time for Alex, and we have to make sure that we put our children first—show a united front."

He just looks at me—more like stares at me. His expression is a cross between being angry with me and being in awe of me. I can't quite put my finger on it. I have never spoken to Jake this way; and he must be in shock because he let me speak without saying a word, but I couldn't let him get away with calling me selfish. I may be a lot of things, but selfish is not one of them.

"Jake?" I say after a moment of silence.

He shakes his head and bats his eyes, as if coming out of a trance. "I guess that sounds fair. What about next Saturday night?" he asks, seemingly a little calmer.

"Saturday is fine, but can we make it the afternoon?" I ask, remembering that Rose asked if I was busy next Saturday night.

"What, you have plans next Saturday night?" he asks, throwing his hands in the air.

"Yes," I respond, "as a matter of fact, I do."

He stands abruptly and looks down at me, "See what I mean? Your plans _are _interfering with our kids' welfare!"

Feeling exasperated, I let out a loud breath. "Jake, I'm not saying that we can't get together on Saturday, I'm just asking if we can make it earlier?"

"Fine!" he snaps. "We'll do the same thing next Saturday that we did today. I'll pick up Tiff and I'll head over in the _afternoon_."

When he says "Fine!" I think of Rose's response when Alice and Leah wouldn't stay for Zumba. "Fine! Go on now, go. Walk out the door. Just turn around now 'cause you're not …" and I giggle—inwardly, of course.

Tired of sitting, I stand and face him, "Okay, Jake. We'll figure it all out next weekend. The kids will be here so we can get their input too."

"Where's Alex, anyway?" he asks, looking around.

"He's helping Seth with a project. Seth's dad will drop him off when they're done."

"I thought maybe we all could have a meal together," he says.

What? I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster. One minute, he's yelling in my face—giving me a shower, and the next, he wants to have a family meal.

He probably expects me to cook.

"Well, Alex won't be home until later, Tiff has a sleep over, and I'm meeting friends later tonight," I say, purposely being vague.

"Friends?" he asks.

"Yes," I reply, satisfied that I've sparked his curiosity.

Tiff walks into the room with her suitcase—perfect timing.

"Ready to go, honey?" I ask.

"Yep, all ready. I'm only spending the night, but I've packed five sets of underwear, two pairs of PJs, three changes of clothes and four bathing suits. Mom, do you think I have enough?" she asks.

"I think so, Ms. Smarty Pants. Let me get my sweater and we can go," I say, slapping her on the behind when I pass her. I turn to Jake, "I'm glad that we're working together on this. I'll see you next weekend," I say as I leave Tiff and him to say their goodbyes.


	5. Chapter 5: The Esme Inquisition

Hi there. I'd like to thank GigiScott and BelleDean for editing this chapter. You are awesome! If you see any errors, it's on me. I made some changes afterward. I actually split this chapter in two. The next one is when the girls get together at the Karaoke bar. My plan is to post chapter six next week, but if I get some reviews (hint hint), I might be encouraged to post earlier. I'll leave that up to you.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my story.

The Spa

Chapter Five: The Esme Inquisition

"No, Mom, your other right," Tiff says, as I turn left when she said right.

"Okay, Missy, stop with the smart remarks. I'm frustrated enough!" I reply.

This is more trouble than it's worth. I had no idea that it would be this difficult to find Emily's grandparents' house. It's so dark I can barely see the street signs. I've been driving for more than thirty minutes, and I've gotten turned around about five times. The directions that Tiff pulled up online are practically useless. The only good thing that this drive affords me is that I get a chance to see some gorgeous homes. It's a beautiful neighborhood, very exclusive. The houses, which are more like estates, are about a mile apart, and separated by total darkness.

"Maybe I should just take you back home, if I can figure out how to get there." I'm totally disoriented.

"But, Mom, they're expecting us!" she whines.

"I didn't_ expect_ to get lost!" I cut off that whiney voice she gets when she doesn't get her way. "I could have let Emily's grandmother pick you up, but no! I had to be the good mother, and drop you off on the outskirts of Timbuktu! If I run out of gas out here, no one will ever find us!"

I jump when she screams, "There it is, Mom! Chesapeake Ridge, turn right!"

"Whew! Finally, a street that's in these directions." I'm happy to see a light at the end of the tunnel, metaphorically. I really can't see a thing.

"Okay, Mom, Carlsbad should be coming up next, turn left!"

I do as I'm told, and turn on to a long driveway. I drive for what feels like a mile, but since I am geographically challenged, it could be much less. I finally see a big, beautiful, well-lit house. The driveway curves in front of the house, and there is a car parked off to the side. I pull in next to a Jaguar—my dream car.

We get out of the car, grab Tiff's bag from the trunk and walk toward the house. The front door opens and out runs Emily.

"You made it! My grandma and I have been waiting for you. We're making pizzas, and then were going to bake cookies, and we've got all kinds of games," she says before Tiff or I can even say hello. She reminds me of Alice.

"Excited much?" Tiff says, rolling her eyes.

I shake my head and think that my child sometimes she has no filter. I believe she gets that from Leah.

"Like you're not," Emily retorts. "You know you're just as excited as I am."

Good come back, Emily. I'm impressed_._

"Emily, this is my mom, Bella Black."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Black, it's nice to meet you," she says, extending her hand. "I'm just so excited—this is my first sleepover since I was about five!"

"I understand, it's nice to meet you too, Emily," I reply, shaking her hand.

"Come inside. My grandma is in the kitchen." We walk into the entryway that has marble flooring and a gorgeous chandelier.

"Tiffany, you can put your bag in here," she says, as she leads us to a room that I assume is the family room or a den. It's a huge room with wood paneling and a big wide screen TV built into the cabinetry. It also has a humongous overstuffed leather sectional that catches my eye. I can picture Tiff and Emily watching movies and falling asleep on it.

"I haven't decided whether we'll sleep in here or my room. I'll show you my room later and let you decide," Emily tells her.

Tiff puts her bag down, and as we head to the kitchen we are greeted by a very attractive older lady who I assume is Emily's grandmother. She hugs my daughter saying, "Tiffany! I'm so glad you could make it. Emily has been bouncing off the walls waiting for you to get here!"

She then turns to me, "And you must be Bella," she says as she hugs me, too.

"I'm Emily's grandmother, Esme Cullen. It's so nice to meet you in person. Now I can put a beautiful face to your lovely voice."

"Thank you, Mrs. Cullen. I have to say the same about you. Thank you so much for having Tiffany over."

"Please, Dear, call me Esme, and it's our pleasure. Emily is so excited that Tiffany could come. She's got a lot planned for them to do."

"It looks like they're putting you to work, as well," I say, as I look around the kitchen, where there are several bowls filled with different toppings for pizza and a big bowl filled with cookie dough. They must be baking cookies for the entire neighborhood.

"Yes, but I enjoy it. I love spending time with my grand-daughter—it keeps me young," she says with a wink. "Can I offer you anything…a cup of tea or coffee, maybe?"

"A cup of coffee would be nice," I reply, admiring her lovely kitchen. It has the same beautiful cabinetry as the den, and there are so many of them. There's even a cabinet that covers the refrigerator. I just love that!

I really don't have time to stay, but she's so sweet—and in some strange way, I feel drawn to her—like there's a connection. One cup of coffee won't take very long.

While Esme is getting our coffee, I send the girls a quick text.

"_Stand Down_

_Panties On_

_Dropping off Tiff _

_ETA: 20:30 hours_

_**B**__ravo __**S**__ierra Bravo_

_Over &Out"_

Feeling proud of my witty text, I chuckle and push send.

Esme and I sit at the kitchen table drinking coffee while the girls make their pizzas. They really don't have much to do because Esme has done all the work. All they have to do is put the sauce and toppings on the crust that she's already made—looks like from scratch.

"You have a lovely home," I say, as I touch the beautiful tabletop. I think it's granite and it matches the counter top.

"Thank you. It's home and we're comfortable here. We raised our two sons in this house—it holds a lot of memories." She looks around the room as if she's reminiscing. She lets out a loud breath and looks at me with a smile.

"So, Bella, what do you do?" she asks, as she pours cream in her coffee.

"I'm a Staff Editor for New Dawn Publishing."

"An editor? Hmm... So, if an author wants to have their book published, you'd be the one to say yay or nay?"

"Well, sort of. I do have some say in what gets published," I reply, wondering if she's making a pitch to have a book published or something.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes, I like it very much. I love to read, which is a big part of my job—and when I can get in on a good literary piece from the ground up, it's very rewarding."

"I bet a job like that demands a lot of your time."

"Sometimes it does, especially when I'm faced with a deadline, but normally, no more than most jobs, plus my schedule is pretty flexible."

"Well, if you ever need me to—that is, if you're running late, or something—I'd be happy to pick up Tiffany when I'm getting Emily."

"Thank you so much! And that goes for me, as well," I tell her, feeling guilty for my suspicion, but grateful for her offer of help.

Emily's dad works a lot, so she's forced to spend a lot of time with me. She's thrilled to hang out with a girl her own age—there's only her and her brother. Is Tiffany your only child?" she asks as we watch the girls peeking into the oven at their bubbling pizzas.

"No, I also have a son, Alex, who's a senior in high school."

"My son Edward's children are the same ages as your children. My grandson, Lyle, is also a senior this year." She seems really excited about her grandson being a senior. I wish I could be that excited.

"Bella, I hope I'm not being too personal," she says as she looks down, stirring her coffee, "But are you married?" she continues, looking up at me.

"Divorced," I reply, feeling a twinge of uneasiness answering that question, which she apparently picks up.

"I'm sorry if I brought up a sensitive subject," she says apologetically.

"It's okay. Unfortunately, my marriage didn't work, but I was blessed with Tiffany and Alex from it."

"What about their father?" She gets up and grabs a canister of biscotti and plates from the cabinet.

"We have an amicable relationship. Despite the fact that our marriage didn't work, he's still their father, and I encourage them to have a good relationship with him," I reply, wondering where she's going with this line of questioning.

She places several biscuits on a plate and places it on the table. She also places a small plate in front of me. "I'm sorry, where are my manners? Would you care for biscotti?"

"Yes, thank you," I say as I place one on my plate.

"Do you think there's any chance of reconciliation?" She looks at me as if she's peering into my soul.

"I don't think so, at this point. It's been two years." I take a bite of the biscotti, only because I don't want to be wasteful. My appetite was gone with that last question.

Suddenly, there's a welcomed interruption to our conversation, when we hear the front door close and a man's voice.

"Hey! Smells good in here! I'm ready for pizza!" he yells.

"Grandpa! Come on Tiff, I want you to meet my grandpa," Emily says, as she grabs her hand and heads to the door."

I multi-task as I listen to Esme, who has resumed her questioning, and I listen to the conversation going on in the other room.

"Hey, Chicken! How was your day at the shelter?" he asks.

"It was hard work, but it was fun! We bathed a giant German Shepherd and got soaked! Grandma had to bring me another set of clothes when she picked me up. Grandpa, this is my friend, Tiffany."

"Well, hello, Tiffany. Do you volunteer at the shelter too?"

"Yes, we are partners," Tiff replies.

"Partners, huh? So, that means that you've got my Emmy's back?" he asks.

"I guess you could say that," Tiff says, chuckling

"We've got each other's backs," Emily interjects.

"Good! I like that you look out for each other. Where's your grandma?" he asks.

"She's in the kitchen talking with Tiff's mom."

I hear them walking toward the kitchen. The door opens, and what I see surprises me. An extremely handsome older gentleman appears, dressed impeccably in a navy blue suit that fits him perfectly. He walks over to Esme, and she stands. They embrace for a kiss, and it isn't just a peck. The kiss ends, but their glance never breaks, until Esme says, "Honey, we have company."

They both turn to me and Esme begins speaking, "Hon, this is Bella, Tiffany's mom."

"Hello, Bella, Tiffany's mom, I'm Carlisle, Esme's husband and Emmy's grandpa," he says, flashing a set of beautiful teeth.

Could he be any more perfect? In fact, they are both quite beautiful, and it is obvious they are still very much in love. They still have that starry eyed look when they look at each other.

This is how I envisioned Jake and me, growing old together, doting on our grandchildren.

"Bella, it's very nice to meet you. If you ladies will excuse me for a minute, I'm going to get changed. I'll be back shortly to dazzle you with my pizza making skills. Bella, you are having pizza with us, aren't you?"

"Yes, Bella, we'd love for you to stay. It's nothing special, as you can see, but we also have salad and fruit, and the girls are baking cookies for dessert," Esme says.

"It sounds wonderful, and I wish I could stay, but I made plans to meet a few friends for dinner and karaoke tonight."

"Karaoke? That sounds like fun! Do you sing?" Esme asks.

"A little, but I won't be singing tonight. My sister went to this karaoke bar, and had such a good time. She's been hounding us to go for weeks now, so we finally gave in," I explain to her. "But if it's okay, I'll take a rain check."

"Honey, you're welcome to come by anytime, whether it's raining or not," she says, as we all laugh.

The girls have already eaten their pizzas and are placing the cookie dough on the baking sheets. Carlisle returns, still looking good, in jeans and a polo shirt. He goes to work, making pizzas for Esme and him.

"Last call for pizza, Bella," Carlisle announces, as he finishes up their pizzas.

"No, thank you," I say, looking at my phone. "Shoot! I should have been there a half an hour ago. I better get going. Thanks for the coffee and the dinner invite. It was such a pleasure meeting you both," I say as I get up to leave.

"The pleasure was ours, and next time you'll have to stay longer," Carlisle says, flashing his beautiful smile.

"That will be nice," I say as we walk out of the kitchen.

They all walk me to the door, and I say goodbye to Tiff and Emily. Carlisle and Esme stand on the porch while I walk to the car. My Honda Pilot sandwiched between a beautiful Jaguar and a Tesla—what a contrast!

* * *

**Esme's POV:**

"I hope she's okay driving alone. It's so dark out," I say as we watch Bella walk to her car.

"It usually is at night, Dear," Carlisle teases.

"Hush, Carl," I say rolling my eyes. "It's strange, I just met her, but I feel a closeness to her—a need to protect her."

"Well, if she follows the directions I gave her, she'll be there in no time. She said she'll call us when she gets there, so don't worry," he says, reassuring me.

We stand on the porch, side by side, our arms wrapped around each other, as we watch Bella get into her car. She turns to us and waves before shutting the door, and I smile and wave back. Although it's dark out, we both have fake smiles plastered on our faces so she won't think we're talking about her, even though we are. I think to myself, "So. this is how a ventriloquist feels."

"Carl, you know what I was thinking the whole time Bella and I were talking?"

"Let me guess" he looks as if he's pondering that question. "Edward?"

I gasp, pretending to be surprised. "How did you know?"

"I know my wife," he says as he kisses the top of my head. "But don't you think you came on a little strong tonight? Asking her to call when she got there, I thought was a little much, but I have to say she handled it very well."

"I may have overdone it a little bit, but my curiosity got the best of me. I agree, she did handle it very well. She could have told me to shove off, but instead, she was very respectful, which makes me like her even more.

So, you think Eddie will like her?"

"Yes, what's not to like? She's nice, sweet, a good mother, and gainfully employed. I think that's a good start."

"What about Bella? Do you think she'll like him?"

"Are you kidding me? I may sound like a conceited mother, but we've raised two amazing sons. Edward is a good man and a wonderful father. Any woman would be blessed to have him in her life."

"Yes, but do you think Eddie's ready to be in a committed relationship? You know he's avoided them like the plague."

"I know, Carl, but can you really blame him? When he lost Kate, his world came crashing down. Remember how distant and closed off he was? I was afraid we were going to lose him. I thank God for the kids and for Rose. They brought him back to life."

"I thank God for them, too—everyday," Carlisle says with sadness. I can tell that his thoughts go back to that horrible time in our lives. "Honey, I know you want to see Eddie happy with a good woman in his life, but do you think it's fair to the woman if he's not ready? He has to do it in his own time, not because his parents think it's time for him to move on."

"I think it's time he tried. Since the accident, Eddie's life has revolved around work and the kids. He needs more than that. The kids are growing up. Lyle will be going off to college next year. I've prayed that he'll find someone who will add another dimension to his life—make it more fulfilling. I don't know why, but meeting Bella tonight, gives me hope that maybe my prayer has been answered. Eddie and Bella are both finding their way, I just think it would be wonderful if they could find it together."

"Okay, Dear, she's driving off now," Carlisle says, as we stand there waving. "I think we can go inside." He takes my hand to lead me inside, and as he gently pulls, I continue looking back—watching until she's no longer in sight.


	6. Chapter 6: Hello Tomorrow

Hi there. I'd like to thank GigiScott and BelleDean for editing this chapter. They edited it when it was one long chapter, but I since split it in two. So if you see any errors, it's on me.

I appreciate you taking the time to read.

The Spa

Chapter Six: Hello Tomorrow

I walk into the Karaoke bar to find Rose, Alice, and Leah waiting for me. I don't know why, but when I see the three of them, a huge smile appears on my face. I can't put my finger on the feeling that overtakes me…maybe it's hope. Hope that my future is looking up.

I had pretty much given up on meeting people. I just lived my meager life, going through the motions of work and raising my children. But in the past couple of months, it feels as if I've gone through a metamorphosis. I've met some great people, like Rose and the gang at the spa, and I've also strengthened my relationships with Alice and Leah. And today, meeting Emily's grandmother, I feel a strange closeness to this woman—actually, she and her husband—whom I just met less than two hours ago. As strange as it seems, I'm going to trust my gut on this one, and accept the fact that my life is changing for the better. This is the best I've felt in a very long time.

"Hey guys! I'm sorry I'm late. Did you get my text?"

"Yes, you are just too clever for words, Agent 99," Rose says.

"How did it go with Jake?" Alice asks.

"You know Jake, I think he likes pissing me off for sport. I don't get it; he used to be so sweet to me."

"What do you mean?" she asks.

"He says that I'm being selfish and that my working out is taking time away from Alex and Tiff."

"I hope you slapped the shit out of him!" Leah exclaims.

"No, but almost," I say.

"Leah, you can't tell a woman to hit a man," Alice says, nudging her with her elbow. "What if he hits her back?"

"You're right, Alice. I would never want to put Bella in that position," Leah says.

"Oh my goodness, is this my sister? The person who backs down from no one? Are you feeling okay?" I place my palm on her forehead as if checking for fever.

"Yeah, this is the new and improved Leah," she says as she flicks my hand away from her head. "Call him back over so I can slap the shit out of him for you!"

"Ah! There's the Leah that we know and love!" Rose says.

"That asshole knows exactly what he's doing. He's trying to make you feel guilty for doing something for yourself," Leah says as she looks over at Rose. "Rose, you tell her! You're the psychologist—psycholo…gize her!"

"Psychoanalyze her?" Rose corrects her.

"That too!" she snaps.

Leah puts Rose in an ambiguous position. She doesn't usually offer her opinion, because she realizes that doing so, could possibly change the dynamics of their relationship.

"You guys are my friends. I don't want you all to think I'm analyzing everything you say. I want us to feel comfortable around each other."

"Rose. Please. Tell me what you think," I say.

Rose turns to face Leah and says, "Well, first of all, Leah, I would never tell a woman to slap a man. Not all boys were taught to never hit girls, and some who were taught that, still do. If Jake never hit Bella in the years they were married, most likely he won't start now, but I'm sure she never provoked him by slapping him either."

She turns to me and says, "I agree that Jake is trying to put a guilt trip on you. I've never met him, but he sounds like a very controlling man. He wants things when he wants them and how he wants them. But you're not married to him anymore. You're living your own life now, and you have a right to be happy. If working out makes you happy, and you know you have things at home under control, don't allow him to make you feel otherwise."

She continues, so lovingly, "It's obvious that you're a good mother and would do anything for your children. Believe me, Jake knows that too, but he's not going to tell you. He's using your doubt as leverage to make you feel guilty. It's his way of controlling you, but you don't have to let him.

"As I told you before, Bella, you are a strong, intelligent woman. The advice you get from all of us, including Jake, take with a grain of salt. The bottom line is, you have to do what's right for you." She looks at Alice, Leah, and me and says, "But I know I can speak for everyone at this table—whatever you decide, we got your back."

I look at the three ladies at the table and realize that they are all like family to me. "I really appreciate your support, girls. It means a lot to me. I feel my life changing and I _am_ taking more control of it. It's good to know that you're here with me."

"Can we lighten things up and have some fun now?" Alice asks.

"Yes! Let's do that," I say, realizing that there is a fancy, colorful beverage in front of me. "Is this for me?" I notice the same beverage in front of all of us.

"Yeah, Rose took the liberty of ordering a round of drinks for us," Leah says, rolling her eyes.

"Oh come on, Leah. It's a Cosmopolitan, and it's delicious. Just trust me—I'm wiser than your friend, Bud, get it? Wiser than Bud…Budweiser?" Rose is met with an evil glare from Leah, but Alice and I find her comment rather clever.

Rose waves her off and says, "Oh just drop the attitude Leah and drink the damn drink. You need a little class and culture in your life anyway. And I don't mean pop culture."

"Alright Samantha…or are you Carrie?" Leah asks.

Alice shrieks, bouncing in her seat. "I'm Carrie, Leah you can be Samantha, Bella is Charlotte, and Rose is Miranda!"

"Now, why I got to be the hoe?" Leah yells, making our table explode in laughter.

We all finish our drinks and order another round. We agree that two will be our limit since we're all driving. Leah excuses herself saying something about the Cosmopolitan going straight through her.

"I guess drinks made of hops and barley stay with her longer," Rose says, loud enough for Leah to hear as she walks away. Leah puts up her middle finger and continues walking, never looking back.

Suddenly, I remember that I told Carlisle and Esme that I would call when I got here. At the time I was kind of taken aback by Esme's request, but having had time to put it in perspective, I now think it was kind of sweet, in an odd way. Not wanting to be disrespectful, I decide to call. I dial the number and before I can say hello, "Bella, you made it."

"Yes. The directions were perfect, and I made it here with no problem. Thank you so much, for everything."

"Okay, Dear. Tiffany and Emmy are fine, so have a good time. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, thanks again and goodnight." I close my phone and look up to find the girls staring at me.

"What?" I ask, wondering what's going on.

"Who were you checking in with?" Leak asks.

"Oh, I dropped Tiff off at her friend's house. You know I have a hard time telling left from right unless I'm wearing my ring, which I'm not wearing these days. I got totally turned around trying to find their house. Her grandparents gave me directions to get here, and they asked me to call and let them know I made it."

"What are you…fifteen?" Leah's face is contorted as she sits down.

"I think it's sweet," Alice sings, placing her hand over her heart.

"I do, too," Rose says with a face like the one you make when you see an adorable puppy.

"You would. The three of you are the sappy, sweet, syrup sisters. You give me a toothache," Leah says downing the last of her beer.

Now that I've had time to think it through, I think it's sweet, too. It makes me feel good to know that someone is concerned about me—and I don't let Leah ruin the moment for me—because beneath that shell of an exterior of hers, I know she thinks it's kind of sweet too.

We sit there enjoying each other's company as an announcement is made that Karaoke is about to begin. Leah tells us about the night when she was here, and describes how much fun it was watching people make fools of themselves. We get ready for the night of laughs that she promises we'll have...until the emcee announces that the first act will be Rosalie Hale.

Rose just about falls out of her chair. "What the f…?" she says as she slouches down, hoping the emcee will forget about her, but the crowd chimes in and starts chanting, " Ro-sa-lie, Ro-sa-lie, Ro-sa-lie."

"You're up, Ms. Cosmo," Leah says, with a smirk on her face.

"Oh, hell no!" Rosalie turns to Leah. If looks could kill, Leah would be gone.

"Straight through you, my ass! You did this, didn't you?" She scowls at Leah.

"Well, I had to get you back for making me drink sewer water," Leah responds.

"So much for exposing you to class—and don't think you're getting away with this, 'cause it's on!" Rose says, making the peace sign with her fingers and waving them back and forth between their faces.

I feel bad for Rose as she sits there trying to ignore the emcee while the crowd chants her name, "Ro sa lie, Ro sa lie, Ro sa lie, Ro sa lie." They are relentless. Rose finally gives in and goes to speak with the emcee, but not before giving Leah one more wave of her fingers. I guess she's deciding on which song to sing. I see her nod and smile at the guy and walk up to take the microphone.

When the music starts, she holds the microphone close to her mouth and begins to sway. It looks as if she transforms into another person. There's a break in the music and Rosalie begins to sing, but what comes out of her mouth is not worthy of laughter. I'm in shock… in fact, from the look of the audience, we're all in shock. Her voice is beautiful. She's so into it that for a minute, I think I'm watching a professional on stage.

I start to listen to the lyrics of the song, and I have an epiphany. I realize that as long as I'm alive, there's a chance for me to start again; to love again.

_Wake up to the perfect sun  
The long night is over, a new day has begun  
Oh yes, dare to believe  
Mercy flows in the morning  
Your spirit is set free  
These are the things your mind will tell you  
These are the words your heart will say  
These are the thoughts that leave you fearless  
These are the hands that point the way_

As long as you are breathing  
You can start all over again  
If your heart's beating  
You can start all over  
goodbye sorrow  
You can start all over again  
Hello tomorrow  
You can start all over

'Cause everything can change, behold all things are new  
The impossible is here and it's crying out for you  
Everything is gonna work out right  
Just like we prayed it would  
You're a miracle in the making  
Yes, it's working for your good

As long as you are breathing  
You can start all over again  
If your heart's beating  
You can start all over  
Goodbye sorrow  
You can start all over again  
Hello tomorrow

When Rose finishes her song, the crowd stands to their feet and gives her a well-deserved standing ovation. As I stand there clapping, I realize that I have tears rolling down my face.

Rose makes her way back to our table after being stopped what seems like a million times. The three of us stand there in awe, and when she reaches our table, I can't help but grab her and hug her.

"Rose, that was so beautiful. That song…it really touched my heart," I say, still holding on to her.

She releases me and says, "I had the same reaction the first time I heard it about a year ago. When I saw it on the list of songs to sing, I thought, "This is for Bella."

What did she say that for? The water works really begin, and I just hug her again and continue to cry. Alice and Leah gather around us, making sure I'm okay. I can feel them rubbing my arms and my back.

"I don't know what's wrong with me these days. I can't seem to control my emotions. I can't stop crying," I say, feeling the tears welling up again.

"Sweetie, you shouldn't try to control them. All the hurt feelings you've been holding inside, it's time to let it all out—it's cleansing," Rose says as she rubs circles on my back.

-8888-

After a trip to the restroom, and a touch up job on my makeup by Alice, I'm finally able to regain my composure. I guess that's what I've been doing for the past two days—letting it out. Rose is right. I feel lighter, and I feel cleansed. I decide at that moment, to make "Hello Tomorrow" my personal anthem.

Alice gets up and says, "Enough of the heavy. We need something to lift us up!"

She makes her way to the emcee and chats with him for a minute. I see her jumping up and down and clapping her hands. That's when I know something is up.

When she comes back to the table, she asks, "Do you guys know, 'I'm Every Woman'?"

"Alice, what have you done?" This woman is too much!

A little while later the emcee announces, "Welcome to the stage, The Sappy, Sweet, Syrup Sisters singing, 'I'm Every Woman.'

Alice jumps up and grabs our hands, pulling us out of our chairs. We give in, and the four of us walk on stage. I think we're all thinking the same thing, "Why fight it? We're here to have fun, so let's do it!"

The music starts, and we begin to dance. We do the bump and play off each other, having a great time. We fumble a little—well, a lot, but it's all in fun. We don't get a standing ovation, but there is applause. In my opinion, we rock the hell out of "I'm Every Woman!"

-8888-

After our performance, we go back to our table, and I'm in a much better mood. We order a bunch of appetizers and eat and talk. We're laughing and having a really good time. Leah is right, some of these people have no business being on stage. A woman sings "I Honestly Love You" and cries every other line of the song. Now that one was kind of sad, but the other acts were hillarious. We're all falling over on each other in hysterics. It doesn't help that most of the people are drunk as skunks. A Michael Jackson wanna be sings "Beat It", but almost falls off the stage when he tries to do the moon walk. That puts an end to our hysterics—at least until we are assured that he's okay. Once we're sure of that, the show starts again, and so does the laughter.

I remember that I want to ask Rose a question. "Rose, I've been meaning to ask you something. Do you remember the night of your killer class at the spa?" I place a potato skin on my plate.

"Oh, that," she says looking down at her plate as if she's embarrassed. "I owe you all an apology."

"For what? You don't owe us an apology."

Alice is still oblivious to what happened that night. "Killer class? What are you guys talking about?" When I tell her that I will explain everything to her later, she's appeased, for now.

I continue asking Rose about that night. "Well, when the class was over, I started to approach you to make sure you were okay, but a man snuck up behind you and whispered something in your ear. You turned around and hugged him."

"Oh! That was my friend, Dec. He decided to surprise me and come to my class, but unfortunately he picked the wrong day to do it."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well, as he so eloquently put it, 'If I wanted my ass kicked, I would have gotten in the ring with Tyson.' That pretty much confirmed that I was rough on you guys."

"What crawled up your butt that night, anyway? I left half way through—I wasn't going to let you kill me," Leah says.

"I noticed that you weren't there when class was over. I wondered where you were. Anyway, I had a really bad day, and I took it out on the class. Dec came over to the house with dinner afterward, and we talked about it. He made me feel a lot better."

"I bet he did. I'm sure he worked you over real good, making all that stress just melt away," Leah says in a seductive tone.

"Oh, pull yourself out of the gutter Leah! It's not like that. He's my best friend—operative word—'friend'. We don't have a sexual relationship. Now, I know this concept is hard for you to understand, but it is possible to be with a man and not _be _with a man_. _ All you have to do is keep your panties on. Oh, I forgot, you don't wear them," Rose calmly explains to Leah, like she's a five year old.

"Oh, shut up!" Leah retorts after Rose finishes her lesson.

Alice and I witness their conversation in amazement. The way Rose sits up with Leah is nothing short of…amazing.

"Oh! So that was Dec," I say, feeling relieved for some strange reason. "I thought he was someone you're dating. You guys appeared to be so close."

"We are, but not like that. We're family, and I can talk to him about anything. Unfortunately, we're so busy that we don't have much time to hang out, but that will change next weekend. Dec's brother, Emmett, is coming to town, and he wants to take him out—show him a good time. So, we've made plans to get together. That's why I asked you all to keep next weekend free. I figure we can make it a group thing. Alice, I hope Jasper can come, too," Rose says excitedly.

"Did you say 'Emmett'?" Leah asks with a southern drawl. "Does he have a brother named Jethro and a sister named Elly Mae?" Leah snorts, making us laugh.

"Shut up!" says Rose, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, come on!" Leah taunts her. "You know you want to laugh." Leah gets in her face, refusing to lose eye contact. Rose looks at her, and she can no longer hold it. She bursts out laughing, and it's contagious because the four of us are in stitches—again.

"I'm so excited about all of us getting together. I really want you all to meet Dec. I've known him for a long time, but have never met Emmett, so I'm looking forward to that too. Don't you say a word, Leah!" Rose snaps before Leah has a chance to comment. We know what was about to come out of her filthy mouth. We all look at Leah as she closes her mouth.

"It sounds like fun," I say, still laughing at the two of them.

"This is awesome! I'm so excited…a group date. I can't wait to tell Jaspie!" Alice says, bouncing in her seat.

"Let's do the math here, Dec, Emmett, and Jaspie makes three," Leah says, mocking the way Alice says "Jaspie". "Rose, Alice, Bella, and me makes four. Looks like we'll be one short."

"When has that ever stopped you?" Rose says jokingly. "No, seriously, I'm a mile ahead of you. Dec is inviting his friend Sam to go with us, so we'll be even-steven."

"I wish his name was Steven. The name Sam creeps me out," I say, cringing.

"I know, I said the same thing when Dec mentioned his name," Rose says.

"He knows Sam?" I ask, disappointed. She's probably thrown herself at him already.

"He's the main reason Sam can't stand me," Rose says.

"What do you mean?" I ask, suddenly feeling better and very curious.

"Dec came to my class a while back, and I introduced him to the posse. Sam, who never said anything nice to me before, all of a sudden wanted to be my BFF. She wanted her some Dec, and she wanted me to make it happen. I wasn't having anything to do with that. Dec's a good guy and he deserves so much better than that barracuda. I told Sam that I don't play match maker, and she has hated my guts ever since."

"Wait a minute, Sam's a bold bitch. Why would she need you to hook her up anyway?" Leah asks bluntly.

"She's a relentless one too. She tried on her own, but he wouldn't give her the time of day. I did tell him a few things about her beforehand, but I'm sure that had nothing to do with him brushing her off," Rose says facetiously. "I'm all for Dec meeting a nice lady. He deserves to be happy, but I wouldn't put Sam on my worst enemy. Anyway, I've been assured that this Sam is a great guy, so I'm sure we'll all have a good time together.

"So, what's the plan? Are we all goin' swimmin' in the cement pond?" Leah asks with that southern drawl again. She on a roll tonight, and we roll right along with her.

Once we recover from our laughing frenzy Rose continues, "We haven't made any concrete plans yet, but I'm having brunch with Dec and his family tomorrow, and we'll iron out the details. I'll have a better idea of what the plan is by our class on Monday. We'll talk after."

We stay for a little while longer and realize that it's almost one in the morning. We all have plans later on today and need to get some sleep. We walk out together and wait for the valet to bring our cars around. We say our goodbyes, and go our separate ways—for now—already looking forward to next weekend.


	7. Chapter Seven: Unexpectedly Awkward

Hi there. It's been a while. Major thanks to Bella Dean and GigiScott, my wonderful betas, for editing this chapter. Thanks for reading, and I'd appreciate some reviews.

The Spa

Chapter Seven: Unexpectedly Awkward

**Rose's POV **

"No, not right now. I need more time in between," I whine, turning away from the slivers of light shining through the slotted shades, tucking the covers over my head.

Ten minutes pass within the blink of an eye.

"If you think that making that sound is going to get me up, you've got another thing comin'." I burrow deeper within the duvet that cocoons me, as reality vanishes in my dream world.

"No, I had too much to drink." Everything gets fuzzy the minute the noise starts up again. I can't. I need more…" I roll over once more.

What feels like five seconds later, I'm jolted by a vibration. "Okay, okay! You got me." With my eyes still closed, I slowly run my hand over the cool smooth surface, in search of the hard hot object that's been demanding my attention.

"You're relentless," I mutter, as my hand finally makes contact with what it's been in search of. Holding it in my hand, I open my eyes and take in the sight of it. I open wide, and take it in… a big gulp of air as I yawn and turn off my phone alarm that's been blaring for the past thirty minutes.

I've pushed the snooze button three times this morning—that's a record for me. I'm going to have to modify my "no alcohol on work nights" rule to no alcohol period. I only had two drinks last night, but I feel like I had ten.

I've got to get up and get ready for church. My momma always says, "Going out on Saturday night is not an excuse for missing church on Sunday morning." Up and at it, I think as I try to motivate myself to get up. I drag myself out of the bed, make it up, and head to the bathroom. An hour later, I'm dressed, looking presentable, and desperately in need of coffee.

I have a long day ahead of me, but I'm looking forward to it. As I fill my thermos with coffee, the telephone rings.

"You up?" asks a cheerful voice on the phone; it's my sister Yana.

"Yes, barely," I reply, trying to down a few sips before the next question.

"Girl, what did you do last night? You sound like you're dragging."

"I went out with the girls to a karaoke bar. We had a really good time!"

"Too good, sounds like. Are you going to church?"

"Yes, 'mother'. I'll be there."

"Good! But I'm really calling to ask you to come to brunch with us after church. Ricky and the kids miss you."

"Ricky and kids miss me, huh? Or is it that you want to use me as a buffer between you and the old MIL?"

"The old what?"

"Come on,get with it, Sissy. MIL—Mother-in-law?" I say enjoying one of the few times that I've got one on my sister.

"Oh," she says, chuckling. "Okay, you got me. I just don't want to have a one-on- one conversation with Ms. Bossy Pants for two hours. Don't get me wrong, she's a good person and she loves the kids, but she's such a damn drill sergeant! Whenever I see her, I just want to stand at attention and salute.

"I guess it's true that opposites attract because Ricky's dad is the sweetest man. I can imagine who calls the shots in the bedroom. 'Push left, push right, double time!'"

"Girl, you are a nut! But I thought you guys got past that. I didn't know she was still being a budinsky?"

"Yes, and everything has to be perfect. If I didn't have a demanding job, a husband, and two kids to take care of, I'd have it all together, too. You know I had to put her in her place once before, and she backed off for a while, but she's back at it. I'm going to let Ricky be the bad guy this time. Until then, I'll just have to steer clear of her as much as possible, and that means bringing you along to take some of the attention off of me."

"I'm sorry, Sister-girl. You'll have to fly solo today. I'm having brunch with the Cullens. Dec's brother, Emmett is visiting, and Esme invited me over."

"I still can't believe that Carlisle and Esme Cullen, the epitome of culture and class, named their son Emmett. Not that it's a bad name; it just surprises me. Maybe it's an upper crust 'E' name that we didn't know about. Hmm, Emmett, Emmett, Emmett," she says the name in different ways.

"What are you doing?"

"I was thinking that if I said it enough maybe it would grow on me, but nah."

"Ya, it was the funniest thing last night. When I told the girls his name is Emmett, Leah asked if he has a brother named Jethro and a sister named Elly Mae? I didn't tell her that we thought the same thing. Leah cracks me up!" I say, as we laugh hysterically.

"You guys are too much. I can't wait to meet them—they sound like a lot of fun."

"They are. I told them about you and they want to meet you, too."

"We'll have to make that happen. Okay, Roe, I got to go. Since you're forcing me to face the MILitia alone, I'm going to go spruce myself up a little. At least she won't have anything to say about my appearance. Get your butt ready and don't forget your robe this time."

"Yes, drill sergeant!" I say in my Forrest Gump voice. "Like MIL, like DIL…and will you ever let me live that robe thing down?"

We were singing at another church and I realized, when we were about to march in, that I didn't have my robe. Everybody started scrambling taking off their robes so that we'd look uniformed. Robes were flying all over the place.

"I'm just trying to help you out. You know that if I didn't remind you, you'd be the robe-less wonder again—and I'll have you know I'm a DGDIL—damn good daughter- in- law."

I just shake my head and smile knowing that she's probably right. "I'm actually dressed, and I have my robe by the door so I can't miss it when I walk out. I'm sorry I won't be there for you today, but I'm sure you can handle it. Speaking of brunch, I was thinking about having it here one Sunday. I'll invite the girls so you can meet them."

"That sounds great. I look forward to it. You should invite Dec and his brother too."

"Okay I will. Go get all dolled up and I'll see you at church."

"Okie- dokie. Love you. Bye."

"Love you, too. Bye."

I hang up the phone and look at the clock. Realizing that I'm now running late, I spread jelly on my English muffin and scarf it down. I take a look in the mirror to make sure I'm crumb-free, grab my thermos and keys, and head for the door. I stop as I open the door, rolling my eyes and shaking my head. If it were a snake, it would have bitten me. I turn around to see my robe thrown over the back of the chair. I grab it, and _now_ I'm out the door.

I get to church just in time to march in with the choir. Yana is sitting in the row in front of me. If you're a nosy rosy like me, which happens to have been Yana's nickname for me when we were little, the choir stand is the perfect place to sit. It gives you a view of the entire congregation. I look out at the people and I'm surprised when I see Dec walk in, looking all handsome in his suit, but my jaw drops when I see who walks in behind him—the man is absolutely gorgeous! He's tall and brawny. And unlike Dec, who has brownish hair, he has darker hair and a slightly darker complexion. Even with those differences, there's definitely a familial resemblance.

I'm drawn from my revelry when I hear, "Psst!" I look down to find Yana trying to get my attention. She whispers, "Close your mouth!" Oh my goodness, this man has me in awe. He has to be a Cullen—he must be Emmett!

When it's time for me to sing, I take a deep breath to shake off my nervousness, which shot to another level when Dec & Co. entered. I remember whom I'm singing for, and I'm able to block out all that has happened in the last few minutes and get through my song.

The service is wonderful as usual. As tired as I was when I woke up this morning, I feel good now—I always feel uplifted and refreshed after church. I speak with several people before spotting Dec and the man I assume to be Emmett, standing in the back of the church. I walk over to them and say, "Hey you! This is a surprise!" as I hug Dec.

"I thought I'd try surprising you again. This time turned out much better than the last time," he says with a sly grin.

I roll my eyes at him, knowing what he's referring to. "And this must be Bear. I've really been look—" I start to say before he cuts me off.

"It's Emmett," he corrects me very coldly.

"Oh, excuse me, Emmett." Suddenly I feel paranoid that he somehow heard us making fun of his name this morning. "It's nice to finally meet you Emmett," I say, feeling somewhat dejected.

"Emmett, this is my best friend Rosalie—Rosebud, the one I've been telling you about for years?" It's obvious that Dec senses the tension between Emmett and me and feels the need to explain to him who I am.

"Hello, Rosalie," is all he says.

Is that all I get? No smile, or "it's nice to meet you, too", or a handshake, or a hug? Just those two measly words? This is so unexpectedly awkward. What is it with me and white guys? It's Marcus all over again! Never in a million years would I have thought I'd be treated this way by Dec's brother. Maybe I'm ultrasensitive right now, but I just want to run away and cry. Unfortunately as I'm about to excuse myself, Yana walks up to greet Dec. Her timing isn't the greatest.

"Hey, Buddy, long time no see!" she says as they embrace.

"Yana! It has been a long time. It's good to see you!" Dec says. "This is my brother, Emmett. He's visiting from Chicago. Em, this is Rosebud's sister, Yana."

"Hi, Emmett, it's good to meet you. I bet you're happy to be home?" she asks.

"Happy doesn't even describe it. It's been a long time and I didn't realize how much I missed my family," he replies.

"That's great. I know that your mom and dad are ecstatic to have you here".

"Maybe just a little," he says facetiously, flashing that beautiful Cullen smile that lights up his whole face.

"Well, I've got to get the kids from Children's Church. It was good seeing you, Edward, and it was nice meeting you, Emmett. I hope I get a chance to see you again before you head back. I haven't seen your mom and dad in a while. It'll be good to see them, too."

"We're having brunch at the house this afternoon. Why don't you all come by?" Dec asks.

"That sounds nice, but we're having brunch with Ricky's parents."

"Well, Emmett will be here for a month. We'll make a point of getting together. I know that Mom and Pop will love to see you, too."

"That sounds good," Yana says.

I stand there observing the exchange between Emmett and my sister. At least he's cordial to her. I don't know why this hurts me so much, but I've had enough. I am filling up with emotion, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let this man see me cry.

"Excuse me, guys, I just remembered I have to catch Angela before she leaves," I say—anything to get away from them.

"But, Rosebud, I was thinking that we'd give you a ride to Mom and Dad's," he says, knowing something is up.

"Thanks, Dec, but I have my car," I say, inching away from them.

"You can leave it here. I'll bring you back later to get it."

"I have to go back to the house to pick up the dessert I made anyway. I'll just meet you there," I say, inwardly pleading for him to let me go already.

"Okay, we'll see you there," he says, but it sounds more like a question. It's as if he knows that I'm thinking about backing out.

"Yes, I'll be there—with goodies," I manage to say with a smile as I practically run away from them.

I get to the ladies' room and by some miracle I'm the only one in there. I grab a paper towel, go into one of the stalls and let it out. I'm having this strange déjà vu-ish moment and those feelings I felt years ago are resurfacing, and the one line that keeps popping up in my head is "Physician, heal thyself."

I feel like an adolescent, crying in the bathroom because a boy doesn't like her, but I just can't help it. Yana and I exchanged glances and I know she caught on that I had to get the hell out of there. She gave me a look of understanding and kept them entertained while I made my escape. I'm sure she'll be looking for me shortly, especially when she remembers that Angela is on vacation in the Bahamas.

I sit there for a few more minutes regaining my composure when I hear the door open.

"Roe? Are you in here?" Yana asks, probably recognizing my shoes.

"Yeah." The sound of my own voice shocks me at how nasally it is.

"What's wrong, Sweetie?" she asks, walking toward the stall. She stands there talking to me through the door. "Talk to me Roe."

I open the door and walk out. I guess she can tell that I've been crying, because she immediately hugs me to console me. It's been that way ever since we were kids. There's only a three-year age difference between us, but she's always been very maternal with me.

"Roe, what is it?"

"It's silly, but the way Emmett treated me out there really hurt my feelings."

"I noticed that you were a little standoff-ish with him. What was that all about?"

"It was his whole demeanor. He was short and cold to me. You know how I feel about the Cullens. I guess I just expected it to be the same with Emmett—that he'd be the missing piece of the puzzle—but he was such a jerk."

"What happened? Did he say something to you?"

"When I saw him, I was going to hug him, but when I called him Bear, which is what the family calls him, he corrected me and said, 'It's Emmett', as if saying it's Emmett to you, you lowly peasant. And when Dec explained to him who I am, he showed no emotion. He just said, 'Hello Rosalie'—all formal. Maybe I'm over-reacting, but it was as if I was reliving that whole Marcus debacle all over again. I'm realizing now that incident really had an effect on me, and I never really got over it. What do you think?"

"Well, first of all, with a name like Emmett, he should have quit while he was a bear," she says, trying to make light of the situation.

"Roe, Marcus was an asshole, and you can't judge all white guys based on his stupidity. Look at you and Dec. You guys have a relationship that any woman would love to have with a man. And what about Ricky? You love him, and you know he absolutely adores you. I know what that jackass did hurt you, but you've got to let go!

"Now, regarding Emmett, maybe he was just having a bad day, or there was something going on that made him act that way. Give him the benefit of the doubt, and see how it goes the next time you see him. If he treats you that way again, Ricky and I will help you kick his ass, and I'll defend us all in court."

I laugh, which I can tell makes her feel better, but she still has a look of concern on her face.

"Oh, come here you big baby." She holds me and rocks me while singing the song she used to sing to me when I was upset. "Roe Roe Roe your boat, gently down the stream. Merrily Merrily Merrily Merrily, life is but a dream." Finally, I let out a real laugh.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" she says, now convinced that I'm okay.

"What took you so long, anyway? I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me."

"I'm sorry. I must have been hit by the dumb dust, because it took a while for it to register that Angela is not even here. When I finally did, I had to find Ricky to have him get the kids so I could look for you."

"That's okay, just don't let it happen again," I say jokingly.

"Go to brunch, Roe. Esme and Carlisle will be there, and the kids will probably be there, too. I'm sure you'll have a good time. I wish I could go with you, but an officer and a gentleman are expecting us."

"You're crazy," I say, laughing. "And you're right, as usual. I'm going home to clean up. I want to at least look decent. Plus, I have to pick up the cakes I baked for dessert."

"Okay, now that that's settled, can we get out of this yucky bathroom please? And I hope you weren't sitting on that toilet, because that's just all kinds of gross." We laugh as we walk out to the parking lot, where Ricky and the kids are waiting in the car. I go to say hello to them, and Ricky gets out of the car to give me a hug.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

I just nod. Yana, rubbing my arm, answers for me. "She's fine, but homeboy had better get his sh...," she pauses, remembering that the kids are in the back seat, "act together because I'd hate to have to send you over there to jack up Esme and Carlisle's son."

"Me? That guy makes two of me! Rose, I'm sorry to tell you this, but your sister married a wimp," he says.

"Yeah, but you're a good one. I'd better get going. Thank you both, and I love you."

"We love you, too," they both say in harmony.

Taking comfort in that fact, I turn and walk to my car.

"Roe," Yana says, causing me to look back at her. "Remember, I'm only a phone call away, and Ricky's boxing gloves are in the trunk."

I give her a genuine smile, before getting in my car.

0=0

I pull up at the Cullens' home at about two. I sit in the car trying to gain the courage to go inside. I take a deep breath before getting out of the car. I grab the cake containers from the back seat and walk up the stairs. I place the cakes on the bench near the door and ring the doorbell. As I stand on the porch, I hear a screeching noise. It's Emily screaming, "Auntie Rosebud!" as she opens the door, giving me a much needed hug.

"Hi, Sweetie!" I say to her, still in our embrace. "Look at you, you're beautiful! When did you grow up on me?"

"Oh, Auntie Rosebud, it only been about a month since I've seen you. I haven't changed that much."

"Oh, yes you have," I say, touching her hair that has grown since I saw her last. "Is Lyle here too?"

"Not yet, but he's on his way."

"Good. I can't wait to see him. Honey, can you give me a hand with the cakes? They're on the bench."

"Can I help?" Dec asks as he walks out of the house.

"No, I think we've got it," I say, letting go of the handle when he reaches for the cake anyway.

"Is this my red velvet? I've been waiting for my cake since the last get together."

"No, I'm sorry, Dec. I'll make you a red velvet this weekend. Mom C called me and asked me to bake Pop C a caramel cake."

"Well, who is the other one for?" he asks, acting like a big baby.

"It's for Emmett. Since he's visiting I figured I'd bake his favorite. Mom C told me it's german chocolate."

"You mean to tell me that you baked cakes for my father and brother, but not for me? Whose best friend are you anyway? I'm hurt." Dec loves to give me a hard time.

"Just think, these have to be shared by everyone here today. I'll make one just for you."

"Okay, I'll forgive you as long as I get my cake this weekend."

"I promise."

We walk into the house and I'm greeted by Carlisle. "Rosalie! How are you?" he asks as he stands to give me a hug.

"I'm fine, how are you?" I reply.

"I'm a blessed man. I'm enjoying spending time with my family. It's so good to have my boys around. I forgot how much fun they are when they're together. Now that you're here, the only one missing is Lyle. What you got there?" he asks.

"I baked your caramel cake and a german chocolate for Emmett."

"That's my girl. You really know the way to an old man's heart."

"There's an old man here?" I ask, looking around the room.

"Oh, you're good," he says, chuckling and pointing at me. "You really know how to get on my good side. Come and sit with us. Eddie and I are watching the game."

"I'll be back. I want to say hello to Mom C."

"She's in the kitchen. Tell her that if she doesn't hurry up with brunch, I'm diving into my cake."

"I'll tell her, but you'd better be prepared to duck if you see a skillet flying across the room."

"On second thought, I'll wait," he says, holding his head down in shame.

I laugh as I walk away. I pick up the cakes that were left on the dining room table and take them into the kitchen. With my hands full, I back into the swinging door. When I turn around, I'm surprised to find Emmett sitting at the counter with his mom. I feel like I walked in on a private conversation because they stop talking when I walk into the room.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," I say.

"Rosalie! No, Dear, you didn't interrupt," Esme says as she comes over and gives me a hug. "Here, let me help you." She takes the cakes out of my hands.

She puts the cake down, unfastens the lock and lifts the top. She takes a whiff and says, "It smells delicious. Thank you, Rose. He's been bugging me about a caramel cake for a month."

She then lifts the top off the other container and says, "Umm, Emmett, it's your favorite, german chocolate."

"Since you're the guest of honor, I baked your favorite as well," I add.

"Honey, wait until you taste it," Esme says to Emmett. "Rose bakes the best cakes."

"No cake for me—I'm cutting down," he says as he stands up and walks out of the kitchen.

I look at Esme with a quizzical expression. I don't know where that came from, but I shake it off, at least on the surface, as I've learned to do very well over the years. I don't want to put a damper on today's festivities, but it's hard not to.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I ask.

"Everything's ready. If you'll put the platters out, then everyone can serve themselves. I'll be right back. I'll let everyone know that it's time to eat."

She walks out of the room, and I start to arrange the platters of food on the kitchen table and counter. I crack the kitchen door to see if everything has been set in the dining room, when I get a glimpse of Esme walking by with Emmett trudging behind her. She appears to be holding his ear. I quickly close the door, and I stand there for a minute wondering what the hell I'd just seen. Then it suddenly dawns on me that Esme didn't leave to announce dinner. She left to get on Emmett's butt for being one. I chuckle at the thought of this huge six feet-plus man hunched over as he's being dragged by his mother who is half his height. She's small, but mighty, and I love her for standing up for me. You go, Mom C!

I realize that Esme hasn't set out the napkins, so I venture off to the closet where she keeps the table linens, napkin rings and such. It just happens to be across from Carlisle's office, where I assume she has dragged Emmett.

I figure, I'm just being helpful. It's not my fault if I happen to overhear something in the process, is it? I open the closet and grab the napkins. I move back so that I can close the cabinet doors, and I find myself very close to the door of Carlisle's office—close enough to hear Esme's voice.

"What was that all about in the kitchen?"

"What do you mean?"

"That's exactly what you were, mean! That girl went out of her way to make your favorite cake and you tell her you're cutting down? You didn't say that when you ate a vat of spaghetti last night! She took out the time to do something special for you, for this family, and you treat her like that? You were rude and inconsiderate and she does not deserve that. What has gotten into you? Is this how they act in Chicago? Because if it is, then you need to make a move. Now I want to know what's going on for you to be so mean to her."

"Mom, I'm not being mean to her. I don't even know her. She's somehow reeled all of you in and everyone's mad at me for being a little skeptical."

"Skeptical? Your dad, Eddie, and I trust Rose implicitly. She has stood by us and helped us get through a very difficult time, and now she has become a part of this family. You come in from the Windy City and try to disrupt everything. We've known Rose for ten years. If she had any ill intent toward this family, don't you think it would have reared its ugly head by now? I don't know where this is coming from, Emmett, but I'm telling you it's got to stop. We did not raise our sons to be disrespectful. Now figure out what the problem is and fix it!"

Sensing that their conversation is coming to a close, I scurry back to the dining room. As I set the table, I think about what Emmett said. He's skeptical—of me? What have I done to cause him to be skeptical of me? I'm in deep thought when I'm startled by a tap on my shoulder.

"Lyle!" I practically scream as I hug him.

"Hi, Auntie Rosebud."

"Oh, my God, look how tall you've gotten! Wait a minute. Say something."

"What?" He chuckles.

"Oh, my goodness, listen to that voice! Our little boy sounds like a man!"

"Well, Auntie, I'm almost eighteen," he says as he blushes a bit.

"Yes, I know, Sweetie, but I haven't seen you in what—a few months, and you seem to have grown up overnight!"

"I know, isn't he handsome? Just like his grandpa," Carlisle says as he walks into the kitchen.

Dec follows Carlisle into the kitchen "No, Pop, just like his old man." He grabs a couple of grapes and throws them in his mouth.

For a minute there, I thought Emmett would come in next saying that Lyle looks like him, because truth be told, he does. He has his height, his build, and his hair color.

Esme walks into the kitchen with Emily. We now have a kitchen full of people, no doubt looking for food. It's a good thing it's a huge kitchen, otherwise, we all wouldn't be able to fit.

"Lyle, Honey, when did you get here?" Esme says as she hugs her grandson.

"Hi, Grandma. I just got here a few minutes ago. Dad told me that you and Auntie Rosebud were in here, so I came looking for you."

"It's good to see you, sweetheart. Are you hungry?" I already know the answer to that question.

"When am I not hungry, especially for your cooking, Grandma?"

"You're such a charmer, just like your grandpa. "

"See, Son! Even your mother agrees with me!" Carlisle says.

"Everyone, brunch is served," Esme announces, as we all start to serve ourselves—everyone except Emmett. I guess he's sulking, the big baby. He finally comes in when everyone is seated at the table eating. He goes into the kitchen, but never comes to the table to sit with us.

Esme excuses herself and goes into the kitchen. She comes back shortly and tells us that Emmett had to take a call, and he will probably join us later.

After we eat, Carlisle stands and announces that it's time for dessert.

"I'll bring the dessert to the table," Esme says as she gets up to go into the kitchen.

"Do you need some help?" I ask standing up.

"No, Dear. You sit there and relax." she replies as I sit back down. I know she doesn't want me to see her knucklehead, anti-social son sitting in the kitchen.

She comes back with a tray with pieces of cake. "I'll have …," Carlisle starts but she cuts him off. "I know, honey, you'll have caramel cake." They are so adorable.

Thanks to Carlisle, the day is saved with his little anecdotes about when Emmett and Dec were little. Emily and Lyle get such a kick out of hearing about their dad when he was a little boy. They ask a million questions and that keeps Carlisle going. If he had not become a doctor, I bet he could have made it big as a comedian.

He tells us how the boys would come up with crazy names for each other. Emmett used to call Dec Ronald McDonald Head, because he had a head full of unruly reddish-brown hair. He's just about to tell us Dec's name for Emmett, when Emmett walks in.

"I'm glad you could join us, Biscuit Head," Carlisle says.

Emmett looks at his dad with an expression that is mixed with surprise and embarrassment. We try not to laugh, but the only one who is able to keep it in is me.

Still chuckling, Lyle asks, "Grandpa, tell us how Uncle Bear got the name Biscuit head?"

"Well, when your Uncle Bear was a little boy, he loved biscuits. Your grandmother made them from scratch every weekend, and he would eat and eat. Biscuits with jelly, biscuits with syrup, biscuits with butter, anyway he could get them, he'd eat them. We thought he was going to turn into a big biscuit.

"One day, when he was about eight years old, your Grandma made a pan of biscuits just for him. He ate until he made himself sick. But that didn't stop your dad from wanting to play with him. Eddie begged Emmett to get up and play with him, but he was so stuffed, all he wanted to do was lay down.

"Your grandma and I went to check on Emmett to make sure he was okay. I told her not to let him eat the whole pan," he says looking over at Esme with a smirk. She returned the look, but it was more like a glare, letting us know that it was the other way around.

"We stood at the door watching little Eddie pulling Emmett's arm, begging him to get up, but he wouldn't budge.

"Finally Eddie got so mad and stomped his little foot and yelled, 'Get out of bed you biscuit head!'

"It was hilarious. Your grandma and I had to sneak away so we wouldn't laugh in front of them. So there you have it, how your uncle became Biscuit Head.

"After that day, I think your uncle's biscuit consumption decreased significantly. What do you say, Bear. You still love biscuits? I can have your mother make you a pan."

"No thanks, Pop. That was my intervention. I haven't touched one since," he says, causing us all to laugh.

"The way I see it, Emmett, you owe Emmy and Lyle big time for another intervention. If they hadn't started calling you Bear, you'd still be Biscuit Head."

We all laughed so hard, even Biscuit Head himself had to laugh.


End file.
